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Malai Kitchen showcases a different side of Southeast Asian cuisine. The restaurant offers a modern menu of Thai and Vietnamese food, which fans of Asian food will thoroughly enjoy this twist on the cuisine. Led by husband-and-wife team Braden and Yasmin Wages, the concept was inspired by their extensive travels through Thailand and Vietnam. Guests will see an array of their beautiful travel photos on the walls throughout the restaurants. The photos, combined with the food, makes me want to book a trip to Southeast Asia soon!
I stopped by the newest location at the Shops at Clearfork in Fort Worth for a menu tasting. Check out our grub pics below.
Drinks
Enjoy a variety of craft cocktails including ginger, lemon, Thai Basil flavors and more. Cocktails are $11 but live up to the hype! (Plus, they’re $7 on happy hour.)
From left to right — Want a spicy drink? Order the Jalapeno Basil Margarita (Jalapeno Infused Malai Maestro Dobel Tequila, Lime, Agave, Tamarind, Basil, Hawaiian Black Lava Salt Rim). For a refreshing, tropical drink, sip on the Lemongrass Fizz (Hangar One Citron, Fleur Elderflower, Lemongrass Syrup, Sparkling Wine).
Another option to consider are the flights, so you can get a sample of a variety of flavors. The three samples in the beer flights are just $8, and the wine flight goes for $22.
On our beer flight included the following:
Peach Tea Wheat – This is my absolute favorite beer at Malai Kitchen. It’s a refreshing American Pale, and the citrus and green tea flavors (made in house) makes the beer taste just like a boozy peach tea.
Samui Pils – A light-bodied Asian-style with balanced hop character and a clean finish.
Thai PA – IPA style beer with a blend of 5 hops, brewed with lemongrass, ginger, galangal, kaffir, turmeric, and coriander. (It’s a strong one!)
Additional drink choices include a large variety of wine by the glass or bottle, several sake selections and different teas and coffees.
Happy Hour
Don’t miss happy hour here on weekday afternoons until 7 p.m. Craft beers made in house are $4, select wine is $6 and specialty cocktails are $7.
Appetizers
You may never want to eat traditional meatballs again after sampling these Vietnamese Meatballs. Combined with minced pork, green onions, caramel and herbs make for a memorable starter.
It isn’t an Asian dinner without sticky rice! This one is cleverly wrapped in a banana leaf and comes with a dip that has a little spice to it.
This Ahi Tuna Tartare appetizer makes for a perfect shareable plate. This generous starter comes with diced sushi grade Ahi Tuna, minced herbs,
cucumbers, Thai chilies, avocado slices and crunchy wonton chips.
Entrees
From pho to classic Thai food and tons of seafood, Malai Kitchen offers an array of selections to satisfy your cravings for healthy and modern Asian food.
I was definitely in the mood for seafood, so I opted for the Seared Jumbo Sea Scallops. The scallops were soft and chewy but not rubbery. The scallops laid on top of a bed of delicious Pad Thai noodles, local tofu, spicy tamarind sauce, and crushed peanuts. Overall, the dish was satisfying and flavorful!
On the Malai Kitchen menu, you’ll see a list of classic offerings, such as this plate of Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mow). The delightful plate takes your average Drunken Noodles to a whole new level with Jasmine rice flat noodles, spicy chopped tenderloin, bell peppers and Thai basil. You can also substitute chicken or shrimp as your protein for no extra charge.
Enjoy housemade Sirarcha sauce on your food! It’s the perfect amount of spice and flavor.
Dessert
Last but not least, Malai Kitchen serves up four desserts that are out of this world. Pictured here is the Mango Sticky Rice Smash. It comes with sticky rice, sweet coconut Ccustard, fresh mango and rice crispy… so enjoy a sweet and crispy taste, all with an Instagram-worthy look!
Malai Kitchen has locations across DFW in Uptown Dallas (West Village), Southlake, and Fort Worth (Shops at Clearfork). Stop by to enjoy the menu offerings, and let us know how you liked it!
(Disclaimer: My menu sampling was complimentary, and all opinions are my own.)
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