Fan of the Korean Samyang’s spicy noodles? Local snack brand Crusty’s has released a new Hot & Spicy Chicken Flavoured Fish Skin Crisps that are inspired by the fiery noodles.
Crusty's was founded in 2016 by three childhood friends – Kenny Ng, Melvin Wong and Teo Woo Yang. Despite hailing from very different backgrounds (they come from oil and gas, real estate and healthcare industries), the trio share the same passion for food and what goes into making them.
Crusty’s was the first to come up with the mala spice and salted egg combination for its fish skin snacks. Their Salted Egg Fish Skin is particularly known for looking and tasting like they were freshly cooked at a zichar stall.
And four years on, they not only have fish skin snacks, but also potato chips, soy skin crisps and popcorn in different flavours.
Their latest Hot & Spicy Chicken Flavoured Fish Skin Crisps is made using Crusty's secret homemade recipe of Korean spices, soybean paste and chilli peppers, 100% free from preservatives.
The fish skin crisps are generously covered in spices. We tried it and it's safe to say it's much like eating the Samyang spicy noodles, except that it's crispy and in a snack form!
Upon opening the packet, the first thing that hit me was the strong savoury scent that kinda smells like the seasoning packet from chicken instant noodles. And upon taking the first bite, I was greeted by the flavourful taste of spicy chicken powder.
Personally, I don't find it as insanely spicy as the Samyang noodles where the spice hits you right from the bite first. But that's not to say that this snack doesn't pack a punch – the spice does build up pretty intensely the more you dig into it! Folks who can't tolerate spice would definitely find this a challenge.
So have a glass of water nearby. Even if you're a level 10 spice fiend, it's always good to hydrate while you snack!
All that said, the crispy fish skin topped with the spicy umami chicken seasoning is pretty addictive. If you have no self-control and can handle spice well, it's easy to finish the 100g bag in one seating.
And unlike other fish skin snacks, this snack uses dory fish skin which doesn't taste fishy or oily.
While it does not taste entirely like the Korean spicy noodles, this snack could also zhuzh up the noodles and taste pretty good as a garnish topping!
Right now, the item has been pre-launched on Shopee in a bundle of three packets at $7.50, so you can have a taste of it before it is officially sold across other platforms. Come Dec 15, it will be available across different retail stores – NTUC FairPrice, Watsons, Cheers and petrol stations.