As promised back in Episode 4, I finally get my hands on Momofuku’s Tingly Chili Wavy Noodles. At the time of review, all three Momofuku noodle flavors had recently come back in stock after a long absence. This Tingly Chili variety is a different noodle recipe than the other Momofuku varieties, with a visibly wavier, flatter cut. And as I learned this time around, it comes with a serious pedigree: the noodles are co-developed with A-Sha (yes, the same A-Sha behind their own popular Taiwanese-style noodles), though it’s unclear exactly who contributes what.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 7: Momofuku Tingly Chili Wavy NoodlesIf you’re looking to buy them, you can find them on Momofuku’s own site, or Amazon, or most grocery stores nowadays.
Each individual package contains a fettuccine-style block of wavy noodles and a single sauce packet, but this time, the sauce is far more complex. Instead of the simple chili oil and soy combo from the Spicy Soy version, this one contains a thicker soy-and-chili paste loaded with tasty ingredients like cabbage, ginger, garlic, carrot, tomato, onion, and Sichuan peppercorns. It’s also vegan, just like the other two flavors in the line.
Noodles:
These are incredible. If the flat Spicy Soy noodles scored a perfect 10 in texture, these somehow go up to 11. The chew is firmer, the noodle cut is thicker and more satisfying, and they hold sauce wonderfully. They’re robust without being heavy and feel way closer to a restaurant noodle than something out of a bag.
• 10/10
Spiciness:
The Sichuan peppercorn comes through both in flavor and effect. It’s floral and slightly perfumy on the nose, but absolutely tingly on your lips. It’s not overwhelmingly hot, but the tingle is real and builds with each bite. This one is spicier than the Spicy Soy flavor for sure.
• 4.5/10
Overall:
This is a massive improvement over the Spicy Soy version. The sauce is layered and complex, with veggie-forward notes from tomato and onion, heat from the peppercorns, and a rich base that tastes like nothing you’d be able to easily replicate at home. The only things holding this back from a perfect score are the lack of garnish (no scallion packet, no texture contrast) and the price, which is just a little too steep to ignore. But as-is, it’s fantastic and deeply satisfying. I’ll definitely be experimenting with add-ins for future bowls.
• 8.5/10
If you’re willing to spend a little more for a more gourmet-style instant experience, this one delivers. The tingle is real, the noodles are phenomenal, and the flavor is legitimately interesting.
Notes since filming: When people complain that Momofuku sauces are boring, for me, this is the exception that proves the rule. Love it or hate it, the tingly chili sauce in this one is a more unique recipe than the others that were available at the time and it packs a lot of flavor. Some of you might not like that flavor, what with the various vegetable extracts and Sichuan peppercorn taking center stage, but this sauce is a concoction pretty unique to Taiwanese instant noodles.
