Hello! The convenience store lunchbox menu I will introduce today is the pasta menu released as part of the CU Overwhelming Series, Overwhelming Arrabbiata. Convenience store menus are often subject to discontinuation and re-release, with frequent changes in similar variations. This menu is a variation of the ‘Shrimp Arrabbiata’ that was released once during the massive launch of the Overwhelming Series in the second half of 2024! This time, it seems they are going for a simpler version by excluding the shrimp. Let’s find out what this menu is all about!
Arrabbiata Price and Overwhelming Features
This Overwhelming Series seems to be going for a more straightforward approach, with Bacon Carbonara released as regular Carbonara, and Shrimp Arrabbiata as regular Arrabbiata! According to the description, they excluded shrimp from the menu, but it seems some shrimp is still included. I’m curious why they removed it if that’s the case, but I’m sure there’s a reason! The price of this menu is 5,900 won, the same as the previous menu!
The content weight of this menu is 503g, with a calorie count of 617Kcal, and the sodium content is 135% of the daily recommended intake. The previous menu was 505g with 602kcal, and surprisingly, the content weight decreased by 2g, but the calorie count increased. I’m curious why the sodium content, which was at 80%, increased so much.
The Overwhelming Charm of Arrabbiata Composition
Let’s quickly check the composition!? At first glance, it seems there are almost no changes from the previous menu! The shrimp seems slightly smaller, perhaps? The thick sauce remains the same, and the toppings on top are almost identical!
Shredded mixed cheese is sprinkled on top of the Arrabbiata sauce, with frozen shrimp and parsley powder on top. The only noticeable differences are that the shrimp is slightly smaller and the cheese is slightly reduced!
The reason for the slight reduction in volume, increase in calories, and 1.5 times increase in sodium is unknown. Did they use a salty and strong sauce? Haha, I’ll check that while tasting it later.
First, I tried mixing the sauce and pasta after cooking it in the microwave. Despite being cooked in the microwave, the sauce is quite thick, making it difficult to mix and eat like a regular sauce. It seems the best way is to enjoy the pasta with an appropriate amount of sauce!
The Intense Flavor of Arrabbiata
Shall we taste it right away!? The most concerning thing is that I remember the Shrimp Arrabbiata being quite spicy when I had it before! I bought it hoping it would be different this time.
But that was just my wish… This menu is also quite spicier than expected. This is the second time in my life that I’ve had a convenience store Arrabbiata that makes my mouth tingle and my stomach burn!
Even though I’m not good with spicy food, I can handle one serving of ‘Buldak Bokkeum Myun’ (in Korean ‘불닭볶음면’) quite easily. However, this menu (and the previous one as well) was so spicy that it felt like it would upset my stomach. You might say I should just stop eating it, but the umami is so strong that I can’t stop reaching for it! Haha
If it were just a little less spicy, I could have enjoyed it much more, but as I eat, I start worrying about my stomach condition the next day, making it hard to eat easily. And although it’s salty, recalling the previous menu, it’s not salty enough to justify such a high sodium level!
In conclusion, I don’t particularly recommend this to those who aren’t good with spicy food. For those who can casually enjoy ‘Buldak Bokkeum Myun’, this menu can be quite delicious. The spiciness can be perceived differently by each person, but for me, it was quite spicy. It should be clearly labeled as ‘Spicy, Very Spicy’ on the lunchbox!
Even though I’m not good with spicy food, I couldn’t resist the umami and ended up eating almost all of it, leaving just a little. Haha, as expected, my stomach did feel a bit upset after eating, but my condition was fine the next day! It’s a menu I would recommend to those who enjoy deliciously spicy food!
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