Thhis was sent to me by Ippin, a purveyor of wonderful Japanese items! Thank you again! I heard about this variety a few months back and was immediately interested. I’ve never had turtle soup although I’ve heard it’s a very fancy dish. This new Cup Noodle Rich line is supposed to be very fancy and quite nice – excited to try it! This one isn’t available as it has been discontinued by the manufacturer and I don’t think anyone is selling it anymore (Ippin mentioned that they weren’t selling it either). There was some concern by animal rights activists over it being turtle flavor. Kind of confused by this since turtle seems to be available most places. But that’s a conversation for a different day – today is about flavor – let’s give it a try!

Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Contains meat. To prepare, add boiling water to fill line and cover. Let steep for 3 minutes. Add in contents of liquid sachet. Stir and enjoy!

Detail of the lid (click to enlarge).

The noodle block.

Loose powder and solid ingredients from the cup.

The liquid sachet.

A light oil.

Finished (click to enlarge). Since I’ve never tasted anything ‘turtle’ before, whether it be real or artificial, I’m kind of at a disadvantage here. The noodles are the standard Cup Noodle style; flat and thin with a very soft chew. The broth is a kind of salty and almost chicken or duck kind of flavor – wavering between the two familial fowls. The garnish bits are where I notice the interesting things – there’s a little bit of onion and mushroom. Then there are what seem to be meatballs or sausage bits which definitely have a taste I’m not accustomed to. It’s pretty good but also kind of strange. Like I said, if I had a turtle frame of reference I could tell how true to the taste it is. Not my favorite but a fascinating variety. 2.75 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4902105232613.

Nissin Cup Noodles Rich – Garlic, Egg Yolk & Oxtail 67g (Very new. Launched 6 October 2016)

Nissin’s TV commercials are some of the funniest and most unique I’ve seen.