Archer Farms Kung Pao Noodles Lunch Bowl

I'll be blunt: these noodles taste cheap. And, well, they are cheap. Not quite as cheap as a $1 Bowl Noodles, but close. I paid $2 for this lunch, and well, you get what you pay for. 

They come with a separate package of peanuts that you add after everything else. I guess that helps prevent the peanuts from getting too soggy. There are whole dehydrated peas, some random vegetable bits, and a bunch of brown powder. It blends together ok with the noodles after heating in the microwave, but really, in the future, I think I'll steer clear of these $2 "international inspirations" and either do something like mac and cheese if I want to play it safe, or one of the $6 frozen dishes if I really want to splurge. 

The taste is a little spicy. The sauce isn't bad, but all of the other flavors just get lost in a soupy mush. Texture-wise, you can tell there's more than just noodles, but somehow I still found my mouth feeling bored. I think the peas help more than the peanuts with the overall feel of the dish, but neither one redeems it completely.

Since the $2 I spent didn't break the bank, I can't complain too much. But I also think there are better options for the money out there.

It's a noble effort in affordable foreign cuisine, but it falls a hair shy of the mark. Plus, it's got a ton of sodium. 

I give this product 6 out of 10 stars.