I’m not exactly sure what a peach and clams have to do with one another, but Kakao Friends Vongole Ramen decided on this mashup regardless. Interestingly, this cup of noodles isn’t produced by any of the major names in South Korean ramen. This cup of noodles is a refreshing departure away from the classic ramen flavors and brands that we know. With its exciting new flavors and modern approach to marketing, featuring some of the internet’s most popular characters, I welcome Kakao Friends to the world of ramen with open arms.
This specific cup of noodles from Kakao Friends is based on a clam and white wine-based pasta dish known as Vongole alle Spaghetti in Italian. As you probably guess, vongole means clams! I’ve had spaghetti with clam sauce in the past while I was in the states, but this was the first time I heard of the name Italian. Kakao Friends must really know their noodles!
The cover of the cup of noodles features quite a few characters from Kakao Friends, with “Apeach” being the star of the cover art. The other two characters that I recognized from the above picture are Con (The Super Tiny Gator? No one knows actually…) and Tube (The Duck). I found the packaging quite cute and unique when compared to a lot of the more established cups of noodles on the market. Well, I’m sure you’ve heard enough about the packaging and probably wondering, how does it taste?
Flavor:
This special cup of noodles definitely brings the clam flavor. Truck loads of it, to be exact. Luckily, there is a creaminess to the broth that helps to balance out so much clam. I’m not so sure I can tell there’s white wine being used in this fancy cup of noodles, but the flavor profile is tasty enough to suggest the latter. The flavor ends up being balanced with a salty hint of creamy clamminess that is savory enough to enjoy.
Spiciness:
This was something I didn’t expect out this ramen. There is quite a bit of spiciness to this cup of noodles. It’s not overpowering, but it is there. It really made me think, “Who are they marketing this cup towards?” From the cover, you would think children or teens, but maybe I’m wrong… The spiciness is more of a Korean green chili pepper spice (Cheongyang Gochu). Those peppers can be incredibly spicy, if you choose the wrong one when you’re eating Korean BBQ. Don’t go for the short ones! Luckily in this cup, the spiciness is just enough to add to the flavor and wake up your tongue a bit.
Smell:
As you would expect, these noodles not only taste like seafood, but smell like it too. There’s a bit of clam in the odor mixed with some spiciness from the green chili peppers.
Noodles:
The noodles are thicker than your typical ramen noodles, which helps to create the illusion you’re actually eating some delicious, Italian seafood pasta. I wouldn’t call these noodles spaghetti-like, but more of a fettucine, which you would expect to have alongside a creamy pasta sauce. The noodles didn’t end up too mushy, but still maintained the ability for you to easily chew them.
Overall Impression:
This was one fun cup of noodles! I felt like a kid again, while searching through my noodles for Apeach faces. It brought back memories of playing with my cereal, rather than eating it at the babysitter’s house (probably a good thing). Overall, the flavor is balanced and delicious. The clam, green chili pepper, and salty flavor work well in this creamy, fun package.
Do you like the taste of clams in your pasta? Have you ever had the experience of eating Vongole alle Spaghetti? 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.
Note: This article may contain affiliate links that support the author’s ramen purchases for these how-to guides and reviews.
