DIY Instant Noodles
by Good Noodle, an instant noodle restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand
Recently, I came across a post on an expat Facebook group I follow about Good Noodle, a brand-new restaurant which opened recently in Union Mall, not too far from where I live. Good Noodle is unique because in Bangkok, a city world-renowned for its delicious cuisine, this restaurant exclusively serves instant noodles. I had to see it for myself.
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| various types of instant noodles on display on a shelf at Good Noodle, Bangkok, Thailand |
If all you know of instant noodles are those little packets of ramen that college students love, then you really are missing out. Eating those cheap packets of instant noodles is like eating plain spaghetti or a big bowl of white rice for dinner. It's the cheapest, most basic form of the food.
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| Good Noodle, Bangkok Thailand (instant noodle restaurant) |
Here in Asia, instant noodles are an art, and they range from cheap to extremely premium, and are almost always served with tons of great toppings and ingredients mixed in. No cup noodles for us! While American-style instant ramen is usually just served with a packet of MSG, noodles in Asia are usually pre-packaged with little pouches of freeze-dried meat and flavored oils instead. It's almost a different product entirely.
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| many different types of instant noodles from all across Asia |
First, you have to pick out your noodle packet from the shelf. The hardest part was actually choosing what kind of noodle I wanted. Good Noodle carried brands from Thailand, Japan, Korean, Taiwan, and more. Flavors ranged from pork to tom yum kung, to spicy chicken, to cheesy carbonara!
I settled on a packet of cheesy hot chicken egg noodles from Korea. I've had this brand before, and it's really good, but the next step is what brought my lunch at Good Noodle up to the next level.
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| Korean hot chicken cheese instant ramen noodles |
Next, you've got to choose your toppings and ingredients! There's a big cooler in the middle of the restaurant, where you can choose pre-packaged and individually wrapped (a safety precaution due to COVID-19) servings of mushrooms, cabbage, bacon, shrimp, and more.
My noodles were a spicy Korean cheese flavor, so I decided to pick up a packet of cabbage, a small pouch of bacon, some mushrooms, some grated cheese, and a poached onsen egg.
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| you can choose your own ingredients to cook with your instant noodles |
You bring your tray, laden with ingredients, to the counter, where you pay and are given a special paper bowl with a foil bottom.
Finally, it's time to cook your lunch! You must take your ingredients over to the special noodle cooking machines off to the side where you assemble your noodles along with the flavoring pouches and all ingredients into that special paper bowl. Then, just hit the "start" button, and the machine does the rest. It dispenses the proper level of water onto your noodles, and the induction pan begins cooking your noodles right in front of you (hence the foil bottom on the paper bowl).
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| the machines dispense the proper amount of water and cook your noodles for you |
Soon, the water is boiling. After about three minutes, everything is cooked and the noodles are at the perfect level of doneness. The machine stops and plays a little jingle to let you know that it's finished.
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| a bowl of instant noodles cooking at Good Noodle, Bangkok, Thailand |
Then, it's time to eat!
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| instant noodles made with your own chosen ingredients |
Of course, I could easily make my own instant noodles at home. But there's something to be said for the novelty of a restaurant like this. It's very convenient, and instant noodles are something of a comfort food here in Thailand.
It's also nice that you can get little portions of the ingredients you want without having to buy a whole cabbage, a dozen eggs, a full package of bacon, and a box of mushrooms, for instance. It's kind of odd to go out to eat just for instant noodles, but things like this are what make living in Asia often so much fun and interesting. And I have to say, my lunch was delicious! Those sure were some Good Noodles.
Unique and Quirky Restaurants in Bangkok
Price
💲💲 - I mean, you are paying for the experience, right? Here, you'll pay a premium for the same noodles that you can find at the local convenience store. However, the real bargain is in the ingredients. Instead of having to buy a whole cabbage or a package of bacon, here, you can get individually-sized portions of whatever you want to add to your noodles, and you can pay by the piece. Anyway, it's not about being economical nearly as much as it is about the novelty.
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Location
Good Noodle is located in the basement floor of Union Mall in Chatuchak District (behind the food court). The best way to reach Union Mall is by MRT Phahonyothin Station or by BTS Ha Yaek Lat Prao Station.
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