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Top Japanese instant noodle maker steps up its rice ball game 【Taste test】

Elliot Hale Dec 5, 2024
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Apparently, instant noodles are clearly not instant enough for Nissin.

After a long day at work, you’re too tired to cook, but eating out feels like too much effort and money. So, you turn to the ultimate lifesavers: convenience store meals, instant noodles, and rice balls. Among these staples, Nissin’s Donbei Saikyo noodle series stands out as a beloved winter comfort food, with sales nearly doubling in December 2023 compared to the previous month. With sales figures like that, it’s difficult to dispute the claim of being “saikyo” (the strongest). Now, Nissin and Family Mart are teaming up to bring customers an improved version of their Donbei-style rice balls from December 3.

When early samples of the two new creations arrived at our editorial office, we knew what had to be done: a showdown. Do these new rice balls live up to the standard of their instant noodle inspirations?

Let’s welcome the challengers. The first contender is the Saikyo Donbei Kitsune Musubi, inspired by Nissin’s Saikyo Donbei Kitsune Udon.

The second: Kakiage Musubi, which is going up against the Saikyo Donbei Kakiage Soba.

However, as we wait for the noodles to finish their warmups, let’s discuss the traditional dishes that inspired these new rice balls.

Kitsune udon is a Japanese classic, featuring thick, chewy noodles topped with a juicy, deep-fried tofu pouch. The name “kitsune” (fox) has some fascinating theories: legends say foxes in Japanese folklore loved deep-fried tofu, or perhaps the golden-brown tofu resembles the color of a fox’s fur. Whatever the true origin of the name, this dish is full of history and flavor.

▼ Of course, for true aficionados, one slice of juicy deep-fried tofu is never enough.

Kakiage soba, on the other hand, is a dish of buckwheat noodles topped with kakiage—a deep-fried fritter of thinly sliced vegetables or seafood. The word “kakiage” comes from kaku (to scrape or mix) and age (to fry), reflecting its preparation style: mixing ingredients before frying them into one delicious, crispy concoction.

▼ Again, why limit yourself to one? Real fans eat three!

For those familiar with Japan, you might know rice balls as onigiri, stemming from nigiru (to squeeze or shape), since they’re molded by hand. However, in western Japan, you might hear musubi instead, which means “to tie” or “bind”. The term carries a deeper cultural resonance, often symbolizing connection and unity. Companies often lean into this nuance of “musubi” to give their products a more premium-sounding feel.

With our noodles now ready and our stomachs empty, the challenge commences.

Starting with the Kitsune Musubi (238 yen [US$1.60]), naturally the first thing we checked for was the star of kitsune udon: deep-fried tofu.

The rice ball didn’t disappoint. The tofu takes center stage, covering most of the musubi, and while it looked thinner than its noodle counterpart, one bite made it clear that size wasn’t everything. Packed with broth, the tofu burst with juiciness, making it no less delectable than the original.

Hidden inside the rice, we were also treated to fish cake, the same broth flavor as the noodles, and a hint of fragrant yuzu shichimi spice. This addition from the traditional Nagano-based Yawataya Isogoro, a Japanese spice producer, gave a nice citrus kick to the musubi. Overall, the rice ball managed to capture the essence of the original very well.

Next up, it was the turn of the Kakiage Musubi (228 yen).

The highlight of kakiage soba is its deep-fried fritter, which starts off crispy and becomes juicy as it soaks in the broth.

The Kakiage Musubi wasted no time impressing, sporting a generously sized kakiage right on top, making up what felt like half of the entire rice ball.

In contrast to the initial crunchiness of the soba version, the musubi’s kakiage is soft and fluffy, making the first impression a little less satisfying.

However, the abundance of ingredients, flavorful broth, and the addition of a special shichimi spice blend from Tokyo’s historic spice shop Yagenbori Shichimi Togarashi Honpo more than made up for the lacking crispiness. The rice ball did an impressive job of replicating the authentic kakiage soba.

Stuffed and satisfied, we reflected on the two competitors. Both showcased great craftsmanship that did an amazing job of recreating the spirit of the original Saikyo Donbei. While not identical, we are convinced that this is as close as it would get to a Saikyo Donbei rice ball reincarnation. If you’ve tried one of these musubi before, you might be in for a pleasant surprise, as the Kitsune Musubi is now 1.4 times heavier, and the kakiage in the Kakiage Musubi is 1.5 times larger than the previous release. These two upgraded snacks are available in Family Mart stores nationwide and, as an extra perk, if you buy one of the rice balls before December 9 then you receive a coupon for 100 yen off your next purchase of Saikyo Donbei instant noodles (valid until December 16).

Related: PR Times
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