Tag Archives: malai kitchen

Dallas #BoozeNews: February 23, 2015

BOWLED OVER
Stop in and try some of the new menu items from Bowl & Barrel! Enjoy dishes like Jumbo Crab Cakes, Green Chili Grilled Cheese, and new cocktails (pictured in image featured above)! Read more about the new items in Rico’s recap!

’Til Morning Cocktail from The Library

CHECK THIS OUT
New year, new cocktail and wine lists at The Library! The cocktail list will feature classics along with new creations, and the wine list will have domestics and international selections. “Highlights include: ‘Til Morning, blending Woodford Reserve Bourbon, maple syrup, lemon juice, Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth, egg white and a Laphroaig Rinse and Warwick International, featuring Japanese whiskey, fresh ginger, honey syrup, Cointreau, lemon juice.”

BOOK IT
Bad boy Dallas chef, John Tesar, will be releasing a book this spring, Knife: Modern Steak and All American Meats, written with Josh Ozersky. The book will feature “full-color photography by Dallas photographer Kevin Marple throughout, KNIFE will be a celebration of American steak; an exploration into modern, self-sustaining Texas ranching; and a trip inside the mind of one of the most distinctive and acclaimed meat chefs in the world.”

WOOD IS GOOD
Woodford Reserve will release their Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey, a 100% rye this week! Rico spent some time with the brand ambassador at their event in Dallas and said it’s some good s**t. Check out the full experience here.

GET FLIGHTY
Malai Kitchen will now serve beer flights featuring their three house brews. Flight will be “$8 and include a 5 ounce pour of Bia Hoi (light Vietnamese lager), Thai-P-A (medium bodied and brewed with Thai herbs), and the Thai 1 On seasonal rotator (this month’s rotator is a Belgian Tripel).”

Does anyone remember the name of the restaurant that was in the current Malai Kitchen space? Honestly, I don’t really care because I wouldn’t give Malai up for all the bubble tea in Thailand.

I was so pleased to join Braden and Yasmin, the adorable husband/wife team behind Malai Kitchen, for a few sips of wine and a couple cocktails. Not only are they delightful people, but they know their stuff. Case in point: their wine list. If you haven’t checked out Malai’s revamped wine list, it’s worth checking out. The wine menu offers a unique variety of wines starting at $7 a glass from across the globe, some of which are priced quite close to retail (tres unique for a restaurant). Even better? It’s wine-idiot-friendly as it’s organized by intensity.

We enjoyed tastes of:

Livon 2011 (Friulano) – a unique flavor
Markus Molitor “Bernkasteler Badstube” 2011 (Riesling Kabinett)
Joseph Kent “Vieux Carre” 2010 (White blend)
Guillon “Gevery Chambertin” 2007 (Pinot Noir)
Longoria “Alisos Vineyard” 2005 (Syrah)
Brazin “Old Vine” 2010 (Zinfandel)

I died for the Guillon Pinot and would definitely recommend a glass or three of it. The Markis Molitor is light and has just the right amount of sweetness to be the perfect pairing for a spicy curry dish. Ask the bartender (or ask for Braden or Yasmin if they’re in) for a recommendation if you’re lost.

As for cocktails, they have a short list of really stellar options, many of which were developed by Jason Kosmas, the king of cocktail. My dude, Rico*, and I tried a good mix of their offerings and were really wowed by some of the amazing mixology behind the Malai bar.

The Singapore Sling got an audible “oh my god” from me and I’ll be returning for that one. They recommend it for two (as it’s a pitcher) … but I think one person with a high tolerance and the Uber app could handle it. Something everyone in Dallas must try is the Kaffir Collins (top left in the picture). Since it’s made with a fruit used in Thai curries, kaffir lime, you can LITERALLY** not find this anywhere else in Dallas. The taste is so incredibly rich and light and intriguing at the same time that Rico and I actually squabbled over who got to finish this drink. (I won.) Other winners are the Cambodian Daiquiri and Bourbon Smash.

Malai Kitchen is convenient to grab before a movie or for happy hour, so stop in soon and order a Kaffir Collins in my honor.

MALAI KITCHEN
www.malaikitchen.com | @malaikitchen
3699 McKinney Ave #319 (West Village)
(972) 591-3387

*Rico is both a freaking talented coworker and the leader of the Brunch Bros gang. Check them out if you aren’t already a huge fan.
**According to them. Believe me … I tried bribing them to tell me where to get the Kaffir leaves.

no malai-se here.

I was fortunate enough to be one of the lucky group of people who were invited to the preview of Malai last month (it helps to know the right people!). I was not only delighted to try a new place, but intrigued to see what was taking on the former Tom Tom space. (If you remember, they ran into a little, shall we say, fiscal problem.)

Upon rounding the corner, I immediately noticed that they gave the facade a colorful facelift complete with inverted umbrellas (see picture on right). Dark beams were replaced with white ones and covering taken off for a more open-air feel.

Once inside, more surprises awaited. We had an assortment of drinks and all were as delicious as they were different. First I had the lemongrass fizz which was light and refreshing – the perfect drink for summer weather on their breezy patio. It had St. Germain in it but not so much to overtake the drink. I followed that up with a Vang Veing which is what I’d describe as a Moscow Mule meets mojito – another great patio drink. I had to stop there for fear of not being able to walk back to my friend’s place across the street.

We were also given tastes of some of their specialties including grilled satay, spring rolls, and drunken noodles. Everything was delicious and if we didn’t have to share with the other tables, my table would have eaten all of it ourselves.

I haven’t made it back just yet, but have every intention of multiple future visits.

Drink strength: 3.5
Overall: 4

Malai Kitchen
malaikitchen.com | @malaikitchen
3699 McKinney Ave #319 (West Village)

Specials:
Monday-Friday | 5-7 p.m. | $5 specialty cocktails and spicy crispy wings.

Live music: Thursdays 6:30-9:30 p.m.