Nissin Original Chow Mein with Shrimp (4 oz.)

Item Purchased: Nissin Original Chow Mein with Shrimp (4 oz.)
Location Purchased: 7-Eleven / 1350 S. Halsted / Chicago, IL
Price: $1.59 + tax

Review: Something in my dustbowl of a wallet said "noodles" to me at lunch today. They fill you up, are inexpensive, and can get pretty creative if you are willing to spend more than the quarter it costs for a brick of ramen noodles. Take, for instance, this ingenious creation from the company who gave us Top Ramen and Cup Noodles. What you get with this plastic container of "chow mein" is a typical brick of ramen noodles (that's how they all start), and not one, but three seasoning/additive packets. The first packet is a clear cellophane bag of dried vegetables and dried shrimp. That's right dried shrimp. They look like the elders from a sea-monkey village as they are no larger than the nail on my heavily gnawed pinky finger. After emptying these flakes into the plastic container, you are supposed to fill it with water and microwave it for 3 minutes to get all of the dehydrated goods good and hydrated. Then, when everything is nice and moist, you mix in the universal symbol for "cheap bastard," the foil packet of powdered flavor mix and a separate packet of flavored oil. Another three minutes of radiation. Let it all sit for one minute and you are ready to eat. You are also ready to hear all of your co-workers comment on the cloud of stale-shrimp scent hanging thick in the office air.

For a little less than two bucks, this makes for a filling meal. If you can get past the idea of dehydrated shrimp, you may even enjoy the strong flavors of Nissin's glorified ramen. My biggest complaint is the packaging these noodles come with. Where most microwave noodle dishes come in a plastic dish sealed with cellophane or soft plastic, this container has an ill-fitting hard plastic cover that serves no purpose but to offer the illusion of tupperware freshness. A wast of resources if you ask me. Nissin makes up for this infraction by having an oil flavoring that is much easier to pour than you receive from similar dishes manufactured by Maruchan. Smaller complaints include the directions on when to add the powdered seasoning (by the time you add it, most of the water has been absorbed or evaporated and it tends to stick to only a small portion of the noodles instead of evenly mixing with the entire dish) and the minimal amount of dehydrated vegetables included in the package. Though, for only $1.59, I can't raise too much of a fuss.

Rating: 3 / 5