Pono Hawaiian’s Premium Island Crunch delivers some of the best crispy bits in the chili crisp game — but aggressive sea salt masks the good flavors underneath. A GOOD jar with outstanding crunch and one clear weakness.
Trader Joe’s Chili Onion Crunch is the best olive oil chili crisp I’ve tested — crunchy bits, clean heat, no raw garlic aftertaste, and a red bell pepper sweetness that ties the jar together. GOOD tier.
Momofuku’s Mild Garlic Chili Crunch earns a GOOD — grapeseed oil, seaweed, yeast extract, and coconut sugar build something genuinely interesting. Just don’t expect any heat.
Momofuku’s Extra Spicy Chili Crunch swaps the original’s front-loaded burn for a slow, center-of-tongue habanero build — and ends up feeling less spicy than the jar it’s trying to outdo. Phil’s verdict: Skip.
Momofuku’s Black Truffle Chili Crunch is GOOD — more bits than their standard jars, real truffle presence up front, and a heat that builds and lingers. The sweetness holds it back from being great, but that’s a Momofuku thing, not a this-jar thing.
Momofuku Chili Crunch leads with sweetness — coconut sugar and grape seed oil create a honey-butter opening that masks the chili underneath. Phil’s verdict: AVERAGE.