Two meals for the price of a really cheap one.

It’s pretty hard to come out with something new in the instant ramen game these days. Even Acecook’s recently released Rich Carbonara-flavored Ramen isn’t terribly shocking on its own in a field that has been graced by green tea, chicken nuggets & fries, and even Pringles soups. However, it does bring an interesting angle with the promise of risotto made from the leftovers.

▼ “Once you put rice in you can’t stop. A guilty taste to be eaten to the last drop.”

On 17 January, it looked as if our reporter Takashi Harada had picked the wrong day to go on a low-carb diet, as he grabbed a cup of the newly released product for 213 yen ($1.86).

As the name implies, Rich Carbonara-flavored Ramen goes pretty heavy on the creaminess with the egg-yolk-esque “Kimimaro Paste” that oozes in after the standard three-minute soak in hot water.

When mixed in, a powerfully unmistakable waft of carbonara aroma fills the air.

Next is the peppery seasoning for that complete taste.

And you have a complete ramen carbonara on your hands.

The strong taste and smell brought the full carbonara experience to this soup, and its savory chicken broth blended well, especially with the black pepper. One slightly odd part is that the taste made Takashi expect tender pasta noodles rather than the firmer ramen ones, but it was still a highly addictive light meal.

It’s a great taste that any instant ramen lover would go for and it was quite filling for the price. However, this meal was only half finished.

Takashi had also purchased a pack of precooked rice to go with the left over soup, which was essentially carbonara sauce. He took a spoonful of rice and gave it a good shellacking in the broth.

Before he knew it, he had some risotto-ishy rice. While it might not win any awards for authenticity, it was pretty delicious and like having a second meal for a mere 100 yen ($0.87) extra. It would have been even less if he was at home and cooked his own rice.

It was both a hearty and tasty meal for our reporter and one he would recommend to anyone who enjoys the finer junk food in life and isn’t worried about their waistline. Even if you don’t want to take the risotto route, that leftover carbonara soup would probably make a killer egg custard.

Photos ©SoraNews24
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