I knew there was trouble as soon as I snipped open the packet of pre-cooked noodles. The directions said to empty them into the box, then pour in the sauce from its separate packet, and microwave the whole mess. The problem was that the noodles were so glommed together and so fragile that trying to separate them with a fork (as the instructions also dictated) basically meant shredding them.
The resultant texture was distinctly gloppy, not nice at all. But I was pleasantly surprised that they tasted better than they looked and felt. If I were served the same dish, but with al dente noodles instead of mushy ones, I'd be a happy man. And, blessedly, this product somehow escaped the scrutiny of the Trader Joe's Blandification Committee. There's honest-to-god spices and flavor here.
I get that they're making a trade-off in favor of convenience and speed--made sufficiently obvious by the box crowing "Ready in 2 minutes!" But this is a case where I would rather take a few more minutes to cook them right than to have them NOW. If I were buying this to zap in the employee room on a work-shortened lunch break, however, I might be glad for the time saving, and forgive the texture of the noodles.
Will I buy it again?
No. However, I purchased at the same time a second, similar item, this one with satay flavoring. I anticipate feeling roughly the same about it.
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