Address and Contact Information
Address: 138 W Central Blvd, Palisades Park, NJ 07650
Phone: (201) 822-0066
Website: http://www.malamini.com/
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Mala Mini, 138 W Central Blvd, Palisades Park, NJ 07650, US
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When you’ve finished making your selection of add-ins, they’ll weigh it at the front (it needs to be a minimum of one pound; every half pound thereafter exacts an added surcharge). From there, they’ll ask about your preferred spice level and whether you want your meal ‘wet’ or ‘dry’ – ‘wet’ meaning in a broth and dry meaning stir fried.
A note on heat levels: Beware of overestimating your personal spice tolerance. The spice levels range from 0 to 3 (which can be narrowed down to halves), and since I love some heat, I asked for a level 2. The guy taking my order hesitated and asked, “Are you sure? That’s pretty spicy.” When I marked it down to a 1.5, he nodded with relief and said, “That’s probably better.”
When I got my meal and had my first bites, I was immediately grateful for his intervention. A 1.5 had plenty of that signature Szechuan numbing heat and I was feeling that fire in my belly for hours afterwards. My husband’s brothy choice (with a more conservative spice level of 1) was far more muted. The nutty broth, along with the side dish of peanut dipping sauce, was a rich and tasty swimming pool for his ingredients of choice.
A few random notes and tips:
– ‘Dry’ meals will also come with a bowl of rice. There were tiny specks of egg throughout the bowl, which I considered a nice touch.
– Curiously, the check is squared at the end of the meal rather than upon point of order (most self-serve spots will have you pay first). Those paying in cash get a tiny dessert at the end. The cash prize used to be tanghulu – a skewer of candied fruits – but now it seems to be a tiny serving of soft serve.
– There’s also something of an honor system at work. I watched people freely get up during their meals to grab their own drinks from the fridge, and everything somehow got totaled up at the end.
– Remember that noodles bloat. I thought I chose a small amount of noodles and was surprised by how much they thickened after cooking and couldn’t finish my meal.
– Finding parking is a beast of a task in this area. There are a few spots available in front, but it’s shared with the cafe next door. Sometimes you can find spots along adjacent streets – we lucked out with a spot in one of these.
My House Malatang was delicious and had a nice sesame taste. I opted for plenty of seafood, from razorback clams to oysters and fishballs, along with potato noodles, tofu, and veggies galore. For those who opt for the dry pot, it comes with a bowl of rice. As an appetizer, they give you a small plate of pickled radishes. This helps cool you down should your spice level be too much for you. If you’re worried about accidentally splashing your clothes as you eat, they provide a black bib to wear. At the end, you just hand it back, and the guy collects and refolds them, good as new. That part surprised me, and I wished they threw them away for sanitary purposes.
They have very limited parking in the front and surrounding area. There are two bathrooms, men’s and women’s, and the restaurant can host anywhere from a single person to a larger group for dining.
service is always good. The owners and workers are so nice.
I like spicy food and I get 1.5 level. One time I got 2 and it was enjoyable but took me a while to eat because I can’t eat spicy and hot. My friends got level 3 and paid the price later. Their dishes were just red.
If you pay in cash you get a little freebie snack.