I feel the sauce here has been reworked to have more of a traditional tteoboki taste while still keeping true to the notes of buldak running throughout the family of products. (삼양 치즈 불닭볶음면) Buldak Bokkeumyeon cheese flavour is the one to ruin it for me. (Genesia Ting and Lucas Kwan Peterson / For The Times). Noodles are great, liquid soup base is very tasty and spicy, and the sesame seeds and laver are a nice cherry on top. I’ve not come into this meal for my health but would like to not be reminded of the depths of my sodium depravity. Something in this combination works far better than cheese alone. What you’re left with is a mealy, overly processed mash of vaguely cheesy, exceedingly corn-scented gunk. Does it taste like the thing it purports to taste like? This is the exact version used in the first spicy noodle challenge video and sets the bar. This one was originally released for the export purpose targeting the Chinese market only, but as it went viral on social media, Samyang recently released in Korea as well. If you’re interested in feeling the numbing quality of the peppercorns this is an affordable way to give it a go, but I’d recommend trying mapo tofu or any number of hot pot dishes instead. Regardless, the ramen does taste just like I remember it: It’s salty with a hint of sweetness and just a tinge of spice to make it interesting, with notes of soy sauce and ginger. This one tops, by far, the Truth in Advertising ranking. Just like cheese, adding cream to Buldak Bokkeum Myun is a popular way to make the notorious ramen more enjoyable. I’ve made a casual practice of acquiring each flavor as it launches in my area, including the lesser-known tteokboki (rice cake) versions of the dish sold in microwavable packs. Its Penang white curry is one of the best — it has a deep seafood flavor, slightly sweet and almost coconutty. The soup’s T.I.A. Supposedly the original flavor of Samyang Buldak is still in production but I’ve had little luck procuring it. I’m just sad that it seems to be disappearing as 2Xs spicy steals the stage. It’s sharp, tangy and craveable. On the OUTSIDE. Thank you for watching our new online series, “Off Menu” (you’ve been watching, right?) It smells oniony. These are not 4 times hotter than standard Samyang Buldak. All versions of Samyang Buldak list extract over an actual pepper. The most interesting aspect of eating Bowl Noodle Soup comes courtesy of Dami Lee, cartoonist and Food section contributor, via text message. But they also don’t. Tongue-Numbing Addition of Szechuan Peppercorn. It sent the bar for spicy instant ramen taste (higher than Shin Ramyun, Kimchi Ramyun etc.) Try both, or just one, you’ll be surprised by how well a spike of sweetness works. The dehydrated elements actually enhance the experience rather than provide filler, and the chewy noodles are on display here rather than drowning in an overly adulterated sauce. This is the only buldak bokkeum that I’ve tried that is pretty alright from the latest collection of flavours. There are so many different types of the fried noodle dish — Indonesian? But it’s a nice thought, and the noodles are pretty good. The chile sauce gives a tiny bit of heat, and the texture of the crunchy onions really puts it over the top. These are slightly less spicy because of it but I can’t resist the texture. We dare you to try!INCLUDES: 1 individually wrapped Samyang instant Ramen (4.9 oz / 140 grams)FLAVOR: Extremely Spicy ChickenHALAL: 100% Halal certifiedCOOKING INSTRUCTIONS: Boil noodles for 3 minutes in water. In recent years this has changed, leading me to believe Samyang is actively trying to make their sauce edible, not just dangerously spicy.