The One Momofuku Noodles Pack That's Better Left On The Shelves

The inspiration behind David Chang's Momofuku can be traced all the way back to the Japanese inventor of instant ramen noodles, Momofuku Ando. So, it was only a matter of time until David Chang, founder of the Momofuku restaurant group and brand, made a line of instant noodles bearing the very same name. But, not every flavor delivers the full Momofuku Noodle Bar experience as well as the next one. Tasting Table's taste tester tried every Momofuku noodles flavor so you didn't have to, and their ranking found that one pack is better left on the shelves: the spicy chili flavor.

While the spicy chili noodles pack from Momofuku is by no means inedible, our taste tester found it the least memorable. The noodles cooked up beautifully — a constant across the board for all the noodle packs — but the flavors of the spice packet didn't have any standout characteristics. Made from a mixture of soy sauce and sesame oil, with added aromatics from the galangal and star anise, the spicy chili flavored noodles don't taste bad. But, the chili, chili powder, and Sichuan peppercorns all fade to the background and become eclipsed by the strength of the soy sauce.

Customers seem to be as underwhelmed by the spicy chili flavor noodles packet as our taste tester was. "... The noodle is a very generic dried noodle you can get from any Asian market. There's nothing special about these. The sauce is also very generic," wrote one customer in a review on the Momofuku website. Others describe the sauce as boring, basic, and tasteless "with nothing crunchy or solid, just oily liquid." 

For the elevated price of the Momofuku brand, customers were expecting a stand-out flavor and texture. Unfortunately, many customers find them to be overpriced. If you have already spent your money on a pack of these noodles, you could always spice things up with a drizzle of your favorite brand of chili crisp. Or, you could try one of the other 16 ways to seriously upgrade your instant ramen – although, at $14 a pack, you really shouldn't have to.