The Ramen Rater

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www.instagram.com/theramenraterter Why, offend their beloved instant noodles, of course.

‘Ramen Rater’ makes his mark

Hans Lienesch, an Anacortes native who's known as the "Ramen Rater," stirred up controversy in April, when he failed to list any Taiwanese noodles on his website rating list. Posted: Saturday, June 15, 2013 6:00 am

By Lynsi Burton
@Lynsi_SVH

How does someone outrage the entire Taiwanese island and remain a media target for days? Anacortes native Hans Lienesch contin

ues to dominate the world of instant noodles with his ever-growing website, The Ramen Rater. Now an Edmonds resident, Lienesch reviews instant noodles from all over the globe each day and posts his detailed thoughts to his website. And his thoughts are taken quite seriously.

“It’s getting pretty crazy,” Lienesch said. The Ramen Rater has passed judgment on 1,081 noodles and counting, with no end in sight. Lienesch caused an international stir in April when he posted his 2013 “Top Ten Instant Noodles of All Time,” a list that changes from year to year as he tastes ever more types of noodles. The Taiwanese media, hailing from a country that values its instant noodles, targeted Lienesch for not including any

Taiwanese varieties in his list.

“The Taiwanese are extremely proud of their instant noodles,” he said. His name and top 10 list remained in the Taiwanese news cycle for about three days, Lienesch said. A television segment featuring a Taiwanese man angrily pumping his fist with graphic flames blasted Lienesch for his omission. Tens of thousands of Taiwanese people posted comments to The Ramen Rater site. Lienesch finally issued an apology. But the Taiwanese omission wasn’t completely his fault. Genuine Taiwanese noodles are hard to come by locally because the United States can’t import certain ingredients included in the noodles, Lienesch said. A lot of Taiwanese varieties are Americanized and lose their authentic quality. Even when people mail Lienesch noodles from various spots on the globe, authorities will rifle through his packages and remove certain items. Though he enraged an entire republic, the controversy elevated Lienesch’s stature a bit in the instant noodle community.

“Being in the news like that, I’m considered the expert on instant noodles now,” he said. Now Taiwanese companies mail him their noodles, and he often interviews company representatives to introduce their brand to his readers. Lienesch also was featured this year in a Japanese TV show called “God of Patena,” where a panel of people discuss a random topic. An American character on the show interviewed Lienesch for his opinions on instant noodles and allowed him to present his top three — which were different at the time of the show’s filming. The character, a sort of bumbling “Larry the Cable Guy”-like figure, interviewed Lienesch over Skype. However, when looking back on the video clip, he can’t figure out what’s going on.

“I don’t know what they’re talking about most of the time,” he said. Soaring past 1,000 different noodles, Lienesch isn’t even close to running out of noodles to try, as fans and instant noodle companies continue to send him samples.

“I see no end in sight for the Ramen Rater,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun. I enjoy every bit of it.”

#67: Maruchan: Ramen Noodle Soup Lime Chili Shrimp Flavor - THE RAMEN RATER

06/07/2026

Happy 6/7

#67: Maruchan: Ramen Noodle Soup Lime Chili Shrimp Flavor - THE RAMEN RATER So this looks to be one of the more exotic flavors out there as far as the more ‘domesticated’ ramens go. What I find curious [...]

06/07/2026

#5566: Nora Kitchen Sinigang Ramen - United States

Added sauteed shrimp, scallion, and sesame seed. Noodle hydrated very well here with a just over regular thiickness. The broth was really good - the tamarind hit has that sour and savory thing going on, and that vegetable and tiny shrimp sachet held some major quantity. So much in there - and it works so nicely. Really above and beyond - and from the US - really impressed! 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 748229990299.

See this and over 5,000 reviews, recipes, top ten lists and more at www.theramenrater.com

#ラーメン #方便麵 #泡麵

Nora Kitchen Sinigang Ramen – United States — Instant Noodle Recipe Time — EP 2794

06/07/2026

Time to cook -

Nora Kitchen Sinigang Ramen – United States — Instant Noodle Recipe Time — EP 2794 ---------------------------------------------------See this and ov...

#5566: Nora Kitchen Sinigang Ramen - United States - THE RAMEN RATER

06/07/2026

I must admit this brand confuses me a little -

#5566: Nora Kitchen Sinigang Ramen - United States - THE RAMEN RATER The Ramen Rater tries an interesting flavor ramen - Sinisang - likely related to Filipino cuisine but made in the US

06/06/2026

The Ramen Rater's Bottom Ten 2026

Coming Monday June 8th, 2026

See this and over 5,000 reviews, recipes, top ten lists and more at www.theramenrater.com

#ラーメン #方便麵 #泡麵

06/06/2026

#5565: Uni-President Unif Tung-I Ramen Noodles Artificial Beef With Herrbs Flavor - United States

Added egg, ground beef, scallion, and sesame seed. Noodle was well hydrated to start with, sporting a standard gauge. The broth was great - like a spicy braised beef with a nice amount of veg and great oiliiness. An excellent export version to try out. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code 073217060921.

See this and over 5,000 reviews, recipes, top ten lists and more at www.theramenrater.com

#ラーメン #方便麵 #泡麵

#1: Westbrae Miso Ramen - THE RAMEN RATER

06/06/2026

Review #1

#1: Westbrae Miso Ramen - THE RAMEN RATER Westbrae: Miso Ramen Stars: 1/2 Notes: This stuff ranks very low on my chart of good ramen. It’s marketed obviously to the ‘health conscious’ ramenphile, [...]

Unif Tung I Ramen Noodles Beef With Herrbs – USA — Instant Noodle Recipe Time — EP 2793

06/06/2026

There's a person in our apartments who goes outside and whistles. A lot. The thing is is that he can't carry a tune and just makes whistling noises. It's very irritating.

Unif Tung I Ramen Noodles Beef With Herrbs – USA — Instant Noodle Recipe Time — EP 2793 ---------------------------------------------------See this and ov...

#5565: Uni-President Unif Tung-I Artificial Beef With Herrbs - USA

06/06/2026

Time for something completely different -

#5565: Uni-President Unif Tung-I Artificial Beef With Herrbs - USA The Ramen Rater tries a beef flavored variety by a Taiwanese company, made in Vietnam, and packaged for US sale

06/05/2026

#5564: Nissin Demae Iccho Bar Udon Noodle Bonito Flavor - Hong Kong

Added fishcake, chashu, sesame seed, shichimi, and scallion. Udon is just a knockout - gauge and chew are perfect. The broth has an almost bacon scent and light flavor. A little stronger taste would be something I'd enjoy. 3.5 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 4897878920020.

See this and over 5,000 reviews, recipes, top ten lists and more at www.theramenrater.com

#ラーメン #方便麵 #泡麵

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