I received the awesome opportunity of being able to try all of Mike’s Mighty Good Ramen flavors, so I invited my friend and fellow Spoon writer at JWU, Alexia Jeremy, to taste them with me because eating nine bowls of soup is harder than it looks and I don’t like food waste! For this article which ranks all of the flavors, all of the ramen were eaten on their own without toppings or sauces, and the broth was the main focus since all of the noodles tasted the same. Therefore, I present to you my list from most to least favorite flavors of Mike’s Mighty Good Ramen; however, I encourage everyone to try all of the flavors because my personal tastes may differ from yours!
Spicy Beef
The king of Mike’s flavors is going to have to be spicy beef for me! I usually don’t like beef soups that much because I find them to be heavy, but this was irresistible and was the only one that Alexia and I finished to completion without worrying about having space for the other flavors. Rich, but not heavy, the broth had a hearty spice to it that lingered in the back of the mouth without overpowering the beef flavors. This might just be the perfect soup for winter!
Chicken
The regular chicken flavor was my second favorite which is great because I NEED to be able to rely on a good chicken ramen sometimes. This delicious and satisfying rich chicken base made me want to slurp this up to the end.
Vegetarian Kimchi
I actually don’t like vegetable broths or stocks in general, but this vegetarian broth may have changed my mind! Or maybe it’s just my love of spice. . . anyways, this soup kept a light richness to it and was quite addicting as I found myself going back and eating more and more of it.
Savory Miso
I’d describe this miso soup as “unoffensive.” Its flavors were delicate and comforting which would have definitely allowed for any toppings to blend in and compliment the soup without conflict. This is a great flavor for anyone who is looking for something simple but delicious.
Spicy Pork Tonkotsu
I love anything spicy and this didn’t disappoint. The difference between this flavor and the regular Pork Tonkostu flavor was that this had the savory element I had been seeking and the absence of sweetness. However, with the spice, the soup lost a touch of that richness.
Beef Pho
Ok, this flavor was crazy. While making this dish, my hands ended up smelling like pure fish sauce which was such a turn-off, and I was worried that it would overpower the whole soup. However, after everything everything mixed together, the noodles and broth ended up being really tasty. The noodle soup was served nice and hot, and I quickly got used to the taste, but the soup still had that sweet taste to it! I should note that traditional rice noodles were served instead of the ramen noodles, so I loved the dedication to authenticity. In the future, I will serve this with bean sprouts, onions, and cilantro to make it even more delicious.
Vegetarian Vegetable
A common theme for some of my least favorite flavors was the sweetness that the broth brought. I had the same issue with the vegetarian ramen, but don’t take my word on this because like I said before, I don’t like vegetable broths or stocks in general. This flavor was very mild so I’m sure it would be nice to add some fresh vegetables and maybe a kick of spice to it.
Pork Tonkotsu
As someone who has eaten her fair share of Pork Tonkotsu ramen, this was not a success for me. I give points because the broth was creamy and rich, but it was too sweet and not savory enough. As the noodle soup became colder, the sweet flavors became more concentrated. Maybe this dish would be better if it was piping hot with toppings.
Fried Garlic Chicken
I had such high hopes for this flavor because chicken and garlic are both two delicious things that are very hard to mess up. Now, I might sound crazy when I say this, but this flavor tasted like raw chicken. Don’t ask me how I know this but it had this strange taste and just reminded me and Alexia of raw chicken. The broth had a good consistency though and the noodles were decent.
Overall, no matter which ramen or pho ends up being your favorite, you can be rest assured that this ramen won’t be coming to attack your health like other [instant] ramen brands that we may be familiar with. I’m so pleased to be able to enjoy ramen now without using up a day’s worth of sodium or indulging in high-fat content. Plus, I feel like Mike’s Mighty Ramen has brought back a certain dignity of being able to enjoy ramen at home. That being said, I fully support you going out to get the whole pack of all the flavors of Mike’s Mighty Good Ramen.