This is the cheapest and tastiest “strongest cup yakisoba”… Three people who have eaten all the instant noodles thoroughly discuss it!
The secret to the deliciousness of “Peyoung,” “U.F.O.,” and “Ippeichan
Peyoung”, “U.F.O.”, and “Ippeichan” are all cup yakisoba noodles with appetizing, savory sauces. Long-selling products such as Maruka Foods’ “Peyoung Sauce Yakisoba” (RRP 231 yen), Nissin Foods’ “Nissin Yakisoba U.F.O.” (254 yen), and Meisei Foods’ “Meisei Ippeichan Yoten no Yakisoba” (254 yen), as well as Toyo Suisan and convenience store PBs, are also on the offensive.
Which is the “best cup yakisoba” that is both inexpensive and tasty? The “three wise men,” Takeo Kanda, a ramen noodle researcher who makes his own ramen, Takayuki Oishi, a cup noodle researcher, and Ichiro Yamato, an instant noodle hunter, had a heated debate on the question.
–Maruka Foods released “Peyoung Ichigoku Yakisoba Genuine Matsutake Mushroom” on September 8, attracting a great deal of attention. The price is 864 yen!
Kanda: A soy-sauce based variation that brings out the flavor of matsutake mushrooms. It is filled with freeze-dried matsutake mushrooms and has a crispy texture. I used the boiling water to make Nagatanien’s “Matsutake mushroom-flavored soup” and was able to enjoy the “taste of autumn” with increased flavor.
Yamato: I think the price is not too expensive, and it has a nice “luxurious” taste.
Maruka Foods has two mainstays: the long-selling “Peyoung Sauce Yakisoba” (launched in 1975 and celebrating its 50th anniversary this year) and “Peyoung Sauce Yakisoba Super Daimari” (270 yen), a standard large-serving product. I guess that’s why we can be adventurous with new and different products.
Oishi: In particular, the regular “Peyoung” is the absolute top of the line and the starting point. It has a light flavor with a hint of sourness from the Worcestershire sauce. It is a perfect match with the “furikake/spice” that is added afterwards, and when you eat it as an adult, you can reconfirm its appeal.
Kanda Most cup yakisoba noodles are fried in vegetable oil, but the fried oil in “Peyoung” also contains lard. When the noodles are returned in hot water, the animal fat oozes out from the noodles, creating a rich flavor and a careful and well-balanced finish.
Oishi: For “Peyoung Sauce Yakisoba Cho-Cho-Da-mari GIGAMAX” (491 yen) or larger, which is four times the size, the flavor of the sauce is changed. The tomato flavor and sweetness are more pronounced than usual, so that even with the extra large portion, you won’t get tired of eating it.
In terms of unusual items, curry-based products are outstanding, such as “Peyoung Yamato no Aji Curry Yakisoba” (254 yen) and “Peyoung Curry Yakisoba” (231 yen), which are collaborations with the long-selling candy “Aji Curry”. Maruka Foods was the first company in the industry to introduce liquid sauces, and even though it is a liquid sauce, it offers a dry spicy taste.
The Secret of “U.F.O.” Fragrance
–How about Nissin Foods?
Oishi: How can we not talk about “U.F.O.”? It was launched in 1976, and in 1977, it featured Pink Lady in a commercial, which exploded with the hit song “UFO”. It is still a popular product that claims to be “No. 1 in sales all the time.
It has a strong impression of a strong flavor, but at the time of development, Hiromoto Ando (current CEO), who was the main person behind the development of the product, ordered “just give me a strong aroma. I think the true strength of “U.F.O.” lies in its unforgettable aroma once you smell it.
Kanda The sweet sauce is enclosed not in the standard nylon pouch, but in an aluminum pouch that enhances the aroma. I can feel the attention to detail in the aroma. The noodles are sticky and medium thick with a diameter of 2 mm, and contain cabbage and meat, making it closer to real yakisoba.
Yamato: I would like to recommend the “Nissin Yakisoba U.F.O. Bakumori Barrel” (332 yen), a large serving type. Bakumori” was introduced on an experimental basis in 2011 in areas such as Kyushu, where the sauce culture is thin and yakisoba products are said to struggle. It was a huge hit and quickly became a nationwide product.
The reason for its popularity is not only the volume of noodles, which is 1.8 times that of regular “U.F.O.,” but also the fact that the noodles are less stretchy. The larger the serving size, the more easily the noodles stretch. The noodles absorb the sauce and lose their flavor toward the end of the meal. However, “Bakumori” keeps its sticky texture until the end.
Oishi: The noodles are cut thinner than usual and designed to be denser for “Bakudomori. I recommend the “Perfect Meshi Nissin Yakisoba U.F.O.” (429 yen) as a derivative product. It has a more roasted texture than the regular “U.F.O.,” which gives the impression of being stir-fried on a griddle. The noodles are non-fried, which makes them healthier, but they still have that strong aroma.
From the October 24/31, 2025 issue of “FRIDAY
