Misen Taiwan Ramen

I picked this one up at a train station in Japan. It comes in a box with two packets and it might be one of the prettiest instant ramens I’ve made. It looked spicy. It wasn’t. But it was amazing anyway.

Produced in Japan.

What’s in the Package

Inside the box, you’ll find ingredients for two servings. This includes two transparent packs of semi-dried ramen noodles, two large white pouches (150g each) containing the liquid soup base with minced meat and garlic, and two silver sachets of chili powder.

How to Cook Misen Taiwan Ramen

1. Place the unopened large white soup pouches into a pot of boiling water and heat for 3 to 5 minutes.
2. In a separate large pot, boil plenty of water. Add the semi-dried noodles and cook for approximately 2 minutes, or until they reach your desired firmness.
3. Drain the noodles well and place them into a serving bowl. Pour the warmed soup base over the noodles.
4. Add the chili powder from the silver sachet.

How Does It Taste

The flavor reminds me distinctly of Taiwanese canned ground pork. It’s that specific taste that James said was almost exactly like what he grew up eating. His words were somewhere between surprise and recognition when he tasted it. The closest description is a Japanese-style Taiwanese Dan Dan noodle. There’s actual ground beef included in the packet which adds real texture and substance to the bowl.

The broth is a 3 out of 5 on viscosity. It’s thicker than most instant ramens. The spice is a 1 out of 5 despite the appearance suggesting otherwise. Lower salt than what you’d typically find in this category which is a welcome change. The straight noodles are a 2 out of 5 on thickness and they carry the richer broth well.

How Does It Compare

Nothing else on the site is quite like this one. The closest flavor profile in spirit is the Kang Shi Fu Braised Beef Flavor in terms of a meaty thicker broth, but the Misen has a distinctly Japanese take on a Taiwanese flavor that’s unique. If you find it buy it. It’s not easy to come across outside of Japan.

How to Level Up Misen Taiwan Ramen

More ground pork cooked separately and added on top. It deepens the savory base the bowl is already built on. Chili oil adds the heat the appearance suggests but the broth doesn’t deliver. Beansprouts for crunch against the rich thick broth.

Final Verdict

One of the best instant ramens we’ve tried. The ground pork flavor is authentic, the broth has real depth, and the lower salt level lets the actual flavor come through rather than hiding behind sodium. Worth tracking down if you’re ever in Japan or can find it online.

How do I rate my ramen? Check out the Ramen Rating Guide.

Related Instant Ramen

• Kang Shi Fu Braised Beef Flavor
• Nishiyama Seimen Sumire Shio Ramen
• Sanyo Foods Junren Sapporo Miso Ramen
• Ichiran Ramen
• Itsuki Instant Ramen Noodle Osaka Shoyu Tonkotsu

Where to buy Misen Taiwan Ramen

• Amazon