This year hasn't been exactly what most of us had envisioned before the pandemic. There were a lot of adjustments made to accommodate to the new guidelines and whatnot. My state isn't as strict as some of its neighbors, and it feels like the result is comparable to those who do.

         Since the supply chain and life as we know it are no longer a thing, I've missed a few things. In particular, an old favorite that I can no longer find in the local Asian market.

         That's right, I miss the Tung-I instant rice noodle (統一肉燥米粉). I've known it since I was a kid living in Taiwan with my grandparents. It's so simple, yet so tasty. I'm willing to bet that the main reason I could not find them anymore is because it'd cost more to import from Taiwan.

         If you look on Amazon, you could tell people are charging an arm and a leg for these delicious little packages. For context, each package cost about $0.70 each before they disappeared from the market.

         Are there alternatives? The answer is no. I was even more surprised to see that I couldn't find some Mainland knockoff or Korean copycat in the stores. It's somewhat strange that this item is so unique to the point no one bothered to copy it. Or, I'm one of the few people left in the world who actually enjoy it.

         Well, one could dream. When this is all behind us, I may find this rice noodle again. Then, I will make sure to load up for my own personal enjoyment.