A couple of years ago, I found out about Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp. A crunch, oil, and a little spiciness. I dubbed it ‘Love Sludge’ – it was so good that I evangelized it to all my friends. Since then, the enamor has most certainly worn off. I don’t know if they changed the recipe, but the last couple of times I’ve gotten some, it’s ended up in the bin, not completely used. Well, I thought a list of alternatives to Lao Gan Ma that are out there that not everyone’s heard of (nor I myself) would be neat. So, I started sending a few emails, asking for samples, and here’s The Ramen Rater’s Chili Crisp Roundup & Buyer’s Guide. I figure 14 varieties is more than enough to show a landscape of flavor and textures that are out in the wild – and I’m sure there are many more. With holidays coming up, if you’ve got a ramen junkie or chilehead to get something for, there’s a lot of different things here that will work that they might not have tried. These are in order of when I received/bought them. Each one has a link to where you can get them. If I end up with more, I will be happy to add them at the bottom. With that, let’s get oily!
Tag: kari kari
Kari Kari Chili Crisp Unboxing & Review
I was minding my own business, doing a little research… Then I found this Kari Kari chili crisp. Turned out they’re based in Seattle, which is next door. I asked to give it a try and they sent some! Now, your question may be at the outset: how does it compare to Lao Gan Ma? I can say I’d rather have this any day. Check out the video below. You can get it here. Also – check out Time Warp – a bar with arcade and pinball games and instant noodles on Capitol Hill in Seattle!!