I was looking for miso soup and just bought this bowl in supermarket for comparison with instant miso soup in packages. I don't like the bowl soup at all. I'd say it's not miso soup but plain noodle soup and noodle tastes not very pleasant. There is no miso taste and preparation takes too long. Instant miso in packages tastes great and there is no way I change my preference. BTW the best bet on instant miso packages I found is my local Trader Joe's Instant Miso Soup. The box contains 4 packets, each packet yield 2 cups soup, so it produces 8 cups soup for just about $5 with great miso taste. Even Amazon cannot beat that deal.