Paldo Doshilak Instant Noodles Review

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Paldo Doshilak is a package of Russian Soul Food that has been unaltered since its creation many, many years ago. This shows you just how well these noodles have stood the test of time. They are an instant ramen classic that were adopted into the Russian instant noodle landscape. They filled a necessary void and kept the masses from having empty bellies on their commute by train. This ramen is special because of its simplicity and trustworthy flavor that is mild and delicious.

Don’t expect any wild artificial flavoring here, like newer offerings from Samyang. These are about as basic as they come. But, that’s okay. That’s exactly why I’m attracted to these noodles. They tasted great back in the eighties and still taste great now!

Flavor:

These noodles have a traditional ramen flavor that tastes mostly of beef stock and reconstituted beef flakes with a helping of sodium. The other part of the flavor comes from the red pepper powder used in the broth in combination with the various dried flakes of: egg, spring onion, carrot, and the previously mentioned, beef. I would assume there is probably a sprinkle or more of monosodium glutamate to jazz up the flavor a bit, which I would expect from a classic like this.

Spiciness:

Paldo Doshilak is a rather mild cup of instant noodles, so you don’t have to concerned about whether or not you can stomach these noodles. It’s one of the main reasons why Russians love these noodles. There’s nothing intense about them. They have a predictable and reliable flavor to them. You might feel a bit of a tingle on your tongue and lips, but it’s mostly from black pepper and maybe a spoonful of red pepper powder to enhance the flavor. I estimate about ninety percent of people could eat these noodles, no problem. However, very small children might be put off a bit.

Smell:

Not much to report about the smell. Paldo Doshilak has an identical aroma to most other classic ramen noodles. The beef broth, red pepper powder, and ramen noodles fill the air with its familiar ramen odor.

Noodles:

These noodles were your basic ramen noodles. They were tender, light, and thin, just as you would expect. The cook ended up being perfect as well with the 3 minute cook time. With this classic cup of noodles, this is exactly how I would like to have my ramen. Nothing fancy.

Overall:

Paldo Doshilak has a great tasting classic flavor that hasn’t been altered since its creation. If that doesn’t reveal just how reliable these noodles are when you need something tasty, then I don’t know what will. If they’re good enough for Mother Russia, then they are good enough for me! These noodles are exactly what you’re expecting. There are zero risks taken with these noodles, which make it an excellent choice for the unadventurous. These could be boring to some, but I think these fill a necessary space in the ramen universe. A space with a flavor that you can depend on being delicious no matter if there’s a cold war or other financial strife happening in the world.

So, what do you think? Do these noodles play it too safe and have a dated flavor that doesn’t work in the modern ramen era? Or, are these noodles filling a necessary space? Let me know down in the comments!

If you’re interested in hearing more about instant ramen, check out my on-going series, *Noodle Story: An Exploration of Korean Instant Noodles, here on Medium*.