What if celebrities started selling noodles?: A (non-fangirl) Review on Instant "Ban Mian"
- kman.w
- Apr 18, 2019
- 6 min read
Updated: May 1, 2019
It’s time to diss that instant Mi Goreng already. And we're taking home-cooked instant noodles very seriously this time.
In case you are wondering about what is "Bàn Miàn", it’s actually the transliteration from Mandarin “拌面” which could be translated to “noodles mixed in/with sauce”. This particular noodle-eating habit is believed to be practised in many East Asian cultures such as Hokkien (Fuzhou is the place of origin), Cantonese "Lou meen"（捞面）as well as being a traditional dish "La tiaozi" （拉条子）of the nomads in Xinjiang, China.
Back to the topic, the trend of having Taiwanese instant Ban Mian in Malaysia is seemingly rising in recent years as I observed that they are being sold in more and more hypermarket chains as well as individual or online shops. Subtly recall the first time that I’ve had *instant Ban Mian was 2 years ago and it was very different, in terms of its natural taste and ingredients, from the regular instant noodles that can be found everywhere in Malaysia. However, the price of the instant Ban Mian that can be found in Malaysia could hike up to RM30+, which is 9 to 10 times more expensive than the normal instant noodles.
But still, as I am assured by the quality of Ban Mian that I previously had, this time’s “YASSSS or PUI!” review session is going to be on...
Ban Mian from different brands created and self-endorsed by Chinese celebrities!
Out of various different brands, I’ve picked 3 that are pretty famous and can be bought in Malaysia, which are:
1. “Chef Nic’s Noodles / 锋味拌面” created by the Hong Kongese superstar, Nicholas Tse （谢霆锋）,
2. “KiKi Noodles / KiKi 拌面” co-created by 3 Taiwanese celebrities and actresses, especially promoted by one of its owner Shu Qi（舒淇）and
3. “SOul Spicy Noodles 蔥蔥回魂麵” created by Taiwanese model, Wu Sou Ling （吴速玲）, who is also the wife of Malaysian singer Gary Chaw（曹格）.
The main purpose of this blog post is to find out whether the popularity of the food products is because of the mentioned celebrities’ fame or the quality of their product, since there are more and more celebrities launching their own Ban Mian brand and it’s already become a trend in Taiwan.
Some foreword before I start...
Regardless of their fame, I just picked the Ban Mian brands that I saw or heard them the most on social media and those which can be found in Malaysia. If you’re expecting me to rate or rank them at the end of this post, sorry to tell you that I am not gonna be the second The Ramen Rater in this world because I believe that everyone has their own preferences when it comes to food, just like there are people out there who like either crunchy or soggy French fries. Instead, comments and suggestions based on different aspects of the noodles will be given after trying out the noodles that are being cooked in a way as suggested from their respective packaging in order to get the most ideal taste.
Food-tasting session… start!
1. Chef Nic’s Noodles / 锋味拌面 by Nicholas Tse （谢霆锋）
There are 3 flavours in total in the whole collection of Chef Nic’s Noodles and they are:
“Spicy Sakura Shrimp / 樱花虾红油”, “Hot & Spicy / 麻辣” and “Three-Cup Sauce / 三杯”.
The same old habit: take a look at the lists of ingredients.
Dissecting the noodles:
Since this was the first time I had Chef Nic’s Noodles, the first thought that immediately came to my mind was: “Why does it taste so… bland?”. BUT, I like the fact that there isn’t any artificial additive being added as the seasoning according to the list of ingredients, and therefore the bland taste if compared to the regular instant noodles. At the same time, the overall light taste definitely helps to make the aromatic smell of the different spices in the seasoning sauce to be more prominent. I am impressed by the complexity of the seasoning sauces as if the sauces are the essence of the ingredients used.
#1 Nicholas Tse’s favourite and recommendation -- Spicy Sakura Shrimp / 樱花虾红油
There is an aromatic smell of seafood because of the Sakura shrimp. For me, it sort of tastes like Tom Yam without the significant sour taste. Despite the chilli oil, it is not made too hot yet the spiciness and tongue-numbness is really addictive for me.
#2 Three-Cup Sauce / 三杯
The “Three-Cup Sauce” is actually a type of sauce which is consists of an equal proportion of rice wine, sesame oil and soy sauce. Besides the three types of sauces, the basil taste in it has REALLY surprised me as fresh basil leaves are usually sprinkled on every Three-Cup-Sauce-dish before dishing out from the pot and being served.
#3 Hot & Spicy / 麻辣
Different from the hot and spicy flavour in Malaysia, there is a hint of tongue-numbness taste that comes from the Sze-Chuan peppercorn in this Chef Nic’s noodles. Usually, I am hardly satisfied with the “Hot & Spicy” noodles from countries out of South East Asia but I like how flavourful the noodles are for the spices in it to make it not only just being “hot” but also aromatic, thanks to the spices.
Price: $$$
Verdict: YASSSS for those who favours natural and less salty taste. For hot and spicy food lovers, the “Hot & Spicy” and “Spicy Sakura Shrimp” flavours are something that wouldn’t disappoint you!
2. KiKi Fine Goods / KiKi食品杂货 by Shu Qi（舒淇）
The 2 flavours that I've picked are:
#1 one of their signature flavours
“KiKi Aromatic Scallion Noodles / 葱油拌面”
#2 one of the recently launched flavours
“Aged Vinegar Spicy Noodles / 老醋辣面”
The lists of ingredients
Another great thing about the "KiKi Noodles": they are vegan!
#1 KiKi Aromatic Scallion Noodles / 葱油拌面
This is what I would call “less is more”. As a big fan of scallion, I like how “basic” the ingredients in it but at the same time, it is savoury enough and extremely aromatic. I wasn’t used to the greasiness when I had it for the first time but the aroma of the scallion oil was left lingering in my mouth for a while after eating. A sprinkle of fresh scallions on top also adds point to the aromatic noodles. Credits to the chewy texture of the handmade fine noodles as a result of being sun-dried for 2 days.
#2 Aged Vinegar Spicy Noodles / 老醋辣面
The seasoning sauce of this Ban Mian was a bit different from my expectation for the lack of complexity of the chilli flavour. But, the moderately sour and fruity taste of the aged (dark) vinegar made the noodles to taste more refreshing. I would suggest to serve it as cold noodles instead of eaten warm, especially during the hot weather in Malaysia.
Price: $$
Verdict: YASSSS for its minimalist yet the simpleness does not indicate that the product is a perfunctory piece.
3. SOul Spicy Noodles 蔥蔥回魂麵 by Wu Sou Ling （吴速玲）
The list of ingredients
Dissecting the noodles:
It's being ranked as the best hot and spicy instant Ban Mian of Taiwan by Le Cordon Bleu.
It is also a vegan-friendly product.
The level of spiciness is adjustable based on the amount of the spicy chilli oil put into the noodles (instructions given on the packaging!).
Quite similar to the Korea Samyang Hot Chicken Ramen because of its overwhelming spiciness but there is still notable difference such as its aroma and spicy sensation. For this, the taste complexity is well done by the combination of scallions and chilli. The tongue-numbing sensation has even made me teared a bit upon finish eating the noodles!
Price: $$
Verdict: YASSSS for those who has already fed up with the Korean one but just can't give up hot and spicy food.
Conclusion
One of the main reasons for not ranking the noodles based on my preference is because... I can't manage to eat hot and spicy food. If I've ever gonna rank, it's going to be unfair to the hot and spicy ones (heh). All of the noodles are given a YASSSS is because I don't wanna get beaten up by their fans JOKING but it really depends on each and everyone's personal taste.
So, legit anot? It's really up to you to decide.
Drop me an email if you have any suggestions (or objections!)
Post-Script
* I just figured out that the first instant Ban Mian I had was "福忠眷村", which is a brand founded by a Taiwanese TV programme producer Wang Wei-zhong（王伟忠）, while doing my research on Ban Mian. The flavour I had was the "Sesame Paste with Garlic-infused oil". Am gonna repurchase this from the Chinese mart located in Cheras that I usually visit!
Some BTS aesthetic food photos
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