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Omsom Instant Noodle Review: The Best Instant Noodles

These are almost too good to be instant.

Omsom Saucy Noodes Group Shot Lifestyle
Photo:

Omsom / Rana Duzyol

This is the year instant noodles become elevated. Momofuku has its version, and brands like Immi and Hotpot Queen have theirs. I’ve tried them all, and the award for the best new-wave instant noodles goes to Omsom.

We’ve been fans of Omsom’s sauces since the brand’s launch in 2020. They’re simple to use but packed with complex flavors that make it seem like you spent way more time in the kitchen than 30 minutes. Omsom’s newest launch of saucy noodles is even faster

Noodle Sampler Saucy Noodles

Omsom

To buy: Noodle Sampler, $49 at omsom.com

The noodles come in four flavors — Chili Sesame, Coconut Lemongrass Curry, Soy Garlic, and Garlic Black Pepper — and in a set you’ll get eight packs of your choice. Alternatively, you can opt for the Noodle Sampler, and get two packs of each flavor. Each box includes one bag of dried noodles and a sauce packet. On the back of the box are recommendations for sprucing things up, like adding chicken or eggplant (or both). The new collection dropped on May 1, and Omsom sent our editors samples to try out beforehand.

The most unique thing about this new launch from the brand is the noodles. Instead of thin and stringy like Cup of Noodles or Tap Ramen, the brand opted for a thicker shape. And instead of straight, Omsom went wavy. This allows the noodles, at least in my opinion, to achieve a more al dente texture, and gives them more bounce and chew. It also makes them better for slurping; it feels like it’s because of these waves and ridges that the sauce clings to them almost effortlessly. 

To buy: Chili Sesame Noodles, $39 at omsom.com

As for the sauce, well, I was neither blown away nor surprised here. It’s not a powder like you might expect, Omsom instead went with liquid sauces that are not dissimilar from its original starter sauces. This is Omsom’s specialty after all. The four sauces mirror the brand’s original sauce releases, with inspiration from Thai, Vietnamese, and Chinese dishes. They come in almost identical packaging, although the noodle sauces have about half an ounce less than the original: A nice touch, as any more sauce than what’s included would be overwhelming, in my opinion.

Importantly, as with Omsom’s Starter Sauces, the sauces it launched with the noodle set were designed by Asian American Chefs (for example, the Chili Sesame was made with Lucas Sin). And while it wouldn’t be too terribly hard to make these sauces at home for yourself, the convenience factor is excellent, especially since the four sauces are diverse, flavorful, and unique. 

Our Editorial Director Katie Macdonald also tried a sample from the brand. Flavor-wise, she says she definitely liked the soy garlic sauce, which was salty and slightly spicy, more than the coconut lemongrass curry, which she found a little sweet. Her husband loved both, though, and gladly finished the curry noodles. The noodles were nice and long for slurping and had a nice chewy texture; however, there were some smaller noodle fragments from breaking in the packaging. “The soy garlic sauce was my favorite, too, but I felt like it could be spicier,” she says. 

Omsom Author Image

Food & Wine / Katie Macdonald

To buy: Coconut Lemongrass Curry Noodles, $39 at omsom.com

Which leads me to this crucial point: After trying several different noodle kits, this one feels the most ripe for experimentation. By delivering several different flavors with the same noodle base, Omsom made me feel inspired to see how I might tweak this simple noodle dish by the protein I picked to go with it, or the vegetable I wanted to place on top. It even had me tweaking the sauce through the addition of chili oil, as I wanted to develop an even spicier soy ginger than the brand sent.

This is all to say that Omsom’s venture into instant noodles is a successful step for the brand away from just sauces, but further towards its goal of making Asian flavors accessible and of challenging Western ideas of what those flavors are and can be. The noodles can be seen as a sidekick to the original sauces — try using its Bulgolgi starter and serve it over a bed of Soy Garlic Noodles, trust me — as well as a standalone snack and quick meal that can be made by itself.

Omsom Author Image

Food & Wine / Daniel Modlin

We had one gripe: The packaging says it serves two, but Macdonald easily ate one by herself, and so did I. She thinks add-ins would help. 

There’s one more thing worth noting, which is the price. Each pack is about $5 per box, which is certainly more expensive than instant noodles you’d grab from the grocery store. But it’s worth remembering: These aren’t instant noodles from the grocery store (yet). These are flavors designed by chefs, and the quality makes it well-worth spending an extra dollar or two.

Omsom’s latest launch is a big hit in our book, which is why you need to go pick up a set today. You can thank us later. 

Soy Garlic Saucy Noodles

Omsom

To buy: Soy Garlic Noodles, $39 at omsom.com

Garlic Black Pepper Saucy Noodles

Omsom

To buy: Garlic Black Pepper Noodles, $39 at omsom.com

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