I like both soba and ramen, but I'm not so fond of udon (except as nabeyaki udon). Cold soba is okay, but I prefer the hot varieties. When I say "ramen", I do not include instant ramen, although the instant noodles themselves do have uses (throw away that "flavor packet"!). I've never used ramen noodles at home, though, and it has been a long time since I used soba noodles at home.