Nongshim’s Chapagetti instant noodles are so unique, you just have to experience them once to get hooked on the flavor. I remember my first taste of these delicious black noodles like yesterday.
It was back in university at the end of my senior year when my Korean roommate plopped down a large bowl of these with some kimchi on the floor in front of me and told me to finish them off. For some, looking into these abysmal, black noodles might scare them off, but for me, challenge accepted. And believe me, it did not take long to finish off that family-sized bowl…
So, I’m super excited to share these instant noodles with you. If you can, make sure to pair them with kimchi. That’s how I originally had them and that’s how I continue to eat them to this day. They are a match made in heaven, I mean South Korea…
Flavor:
The flavor of Chapagetti is an instant noodle rendition of the classic Korean-Chinese fusion cuisine, Jjajangmyeon. To tell you a bit about Jjajangmyeon, the black sauce you can see above is created by using Chunjang, which is a type of Chinese soy paste. It has a very strong soy flavor, so if you’re a soy sauce connoisseur you might end up loving these noodles. I personally love them. Others might be dissuaded from trying these noodles because of their appearance, smell, or flavor.
When compared to some of the other “instant Jjajangmyeon” competitors these babies shine! I don’t know what Nongshim is doing with their secret recipe, but these noodles pack much more flavor compared to the competition. They are a bit salty, sweet, and of course have that cheeky Chunjang flavor.
There isn’t much to compare the sauce to other than maybe another soybean dish, Dwaenjang. Unless you’re familiar with Korean cuisine, you really just have to experience these noodles just once.
Spiciness:
While there are spicy versions of Chapagetti, I picked the original version, which has no spice whatsoever. South Koreans sure do love their spice, but luckily these noodles are for everyone.
Smell:
The smell of this cup of noodles is quite strong. The soybean odor will diffuse into the air and reach even the narrowest spaces of your home or workplace. It’s not an unpleasant smell, but it does smell like a soybean processing plant once your hot water hits the sauce packet.
Texture:
The texture of the noodles when compared to the Jjajangmyeon you get at Chinese restaurants here in South Korea is radically different. Jjajangmyeon noodles tend to be thick, long, and smooth in texture. These have been replaced with ramen noodles, which are a bit thinner and more tender depending on the cooking time. The combination of a more basic ramen noodle when paired with the Chunjang sauce makes for an enjoyable experience.
Overall Impression:
These noodles are for almost everyone. They aren’t spicy like a lot of the other noodles that are bursting onto the scene these days, so in terms of accessibility, these noodles are a huge win. Out of all the instant ramen noodles I have tried here in South Korea, these are close to the top of my list, if not at the top. I couldn’t live without Nongshim’s Chapagetti, so neither should you.
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.
