Noodle Journey Episode 111: Momofuku Spicy Chili Noodles

Here’s the other currently-new product from Momofuku, their Spicy Chili Noodles. Coming right after Sweet & Spicy, the obvious question is whether this feels distinct from that one or Tingly Chili or is more or less a spicier version of either. The packaging is certainly similar to Sweet & Spicy, but the ingredients list is certainly different, so I’m curious how it actually eats vs. the rest of the product line.

At the time of this review, this is sold on Momofuku’s site for about $13 per five-pack, with supermarket rollout likely later. Each pack includes A-Sha’s air-dried wheat noodles and a chili sauce pouch. The sauce lists sesame oil, sugar, soy, chili, cabbage, ginger, garlic, tomato paste, carrots, onions, galangal, Sichuan peppercorn, and star anise. The label also mentions dried scallions, but there’s no separate packet and I don’t see any in the final product. Sodium is 1,170 mg per serving, with 5 g of sugar.

Noodles:
A-Sha’s texture is still fantastic and the sauce coats them evenly. They are a remarkable texture very similar to pasta, with an awesome fresh wheat aroma when they cook.
• 10/10

Spiciness:
Definitely more assertive than Spicy Soy, Tingly Chili, and Sweet & Spicy for me. This is the spiciest member of the Momofuku lineup currently. This is a lingering, bold heat that I really enjoyed, but it is surprisingly hot given the relative tameness of the other varieties.
• 6/10

Overall:
This comes across to me as soy-and-pepper forward rather than peppercorn-and-sweet. You get salty umami from the soy, a touch of vegetable sweetness (likely that cabbage/carrot), some acid from tomato paste and chili, and a clean chili taste that’s much less floral than Tingly Chili and less sugary than Sweet & Spicy. It leans heavy into the sesame and soy combo, the sauce clings well, and the noodles do a lot of the heavy lifting. My one gripe is the promised scallions; they’re not visibly there and would really make this shine, so that dings the experience a bit. Still, on flavor and texture alone, this is an excellent departure and easily one of the best Momofuku packs so far. You’ll still need to supply your own toppings, but the thick and bold nature of the sauce makes this feel a bit more complete than the others.
• 8.5/10

Notes since filming:

Whatever you may think of David Chang and Momofuku (and it’s perfectly acceptable to think he’s an asshole and that the entire brand is an overpriced rebranding itself), this is the best sauce out of all of their products. Buy it on sale if you don’t want to feel too guilty about supporting Momofuku.