MáLà Project

Since I do not eat spicy food but still want to try the dry pot and I am very impressed, because I do not expect a dry pot not being spicy can taste so good.
I usually order on seamless and they are always in time, and I ordered pick up one time and even more impressed with the set up inside, the music, the silverware, and even the CPR instructions are created by their self. absolutely love this place.

Heard about this place through a friend and finally made a visit on a Saturday night. It was fairly busy but we were seated almost immediately. My two friends and I shared a pot in which every item is priced individually– which can get a little pricey when you want some variety. We got about 9 – 10 items made «mild» along with the appetizer Fried Pepper with Thousand Year Egg. The appetizer consisted of the thousand year egg, some eggplants and peppers with a vinegary sauce. It was a good contrast from the pot because it was light and sour. Our mild pot came and when I had my first bite, my tongue was hit with a variety of spices and flavors. The mild, in my opinion, was a little too spicy to be considered mild. The more I ate, the saltier it got– so for those who has light palate like me, have some rice ready on the side! It was a little hard to see what I was eating though cause it was pretty dark in there.
Overall, the food was very flavorful and judging from the menu and the cooking, you can tell a lot of thought has been put into it. The staff there were amazing and extremely friendly and attentive. The music there was like a mix of 80’s and 90’s chinese pop/​folk songs which I thought brought a really distinct character to the restaurant as a whole.

Best Sichuan hands down. I came here with 5 other friends. Being the only black person at the table you’d think I’d be the best with handling the spice– not. My Caucasian friends put me to shame with how easily they devoured this spicy pot. FYI we had the extra spicy one. Everything was great, from the piggy ears to the sweet potatoes and corn. Hands down the best Sichuan I’ve had. Even though I’m writing this review from the toilet throne, my stomach is unhappy with the level of spice I put it through yesterday but it was worth it and more. Their hand wash in the bathroom is also very good. I had to take a photo of it will be buying it for my home. I Will definitely come back.

I never tried Hot Pot before having it here, but I can’t imagine it being any better. MaLa Project is incredible. The menu mainly consists of a list of proteins, vegetables, and mushrooms to choose from and you also select the level of spiciness. The more people in your party, the more stuff you put in the pot. The result is pure deliciousness. They do not take reservations so expect to wait if you’re going during prime dinner hours.

Dry pot (aka Dry Hot Pot)… basically you order a bunch of vegetables, meat, seafood, etc… and they toss it up together in a spicy schezuan pot and serve it all together with bowls of rice. It’s interesting as it’s as if you just ordered one giant dish to share with everyone.
The place itself is great playing classic mandarin songs, you feel like you’re outside of NYC… my friend and I did wait for over an hour to get a seat. This has some schezuan spices and even at mild we were sweating… next time I’ll do the spicy.

Be warned: if you don’t like spicy food, even their MILD level for the dry pot might be too hot for you!
At least that’s what happened to me. Yes, I’m Asian and if I played into the stereotypes, I should love spicy food. But I don’t. And I was not warned by the restaurant. I chose MILD, expecting it to be what the name implies: mild. No hint of spice or hotness.
But the dry pot came with an abundance of chili flakes and peppers. I am afraid to imagine what a MEDIUM would’ve been like for me.
The meats inside the dry pot were well-​cooked and marinated deliciously. I picked the short ribs and beef tenderloin.
It was a mistake getting the lobster balls; they seemed like typical Asian fish balls you’d get in frozen packages.
And even if each addition seems like nothing, at $ 3 – 6, it adds up fast. I don’t think the dry pot and a couple appetizers was worth $ 76 before tip.
I will say that I enjoyed the Leftover Fried Rice ($ 13) mostly because it was a nice change from all the spice I was consuming in the dry pot.

Best Mala dry pot in Manhattan! You’ll have to go to flushing for better prices but quality dips. The food here is really good and high quality. Spicy level of spice is perfect for me, but if you’re weak, just don’t go here. The super spicy probably kills the meal so maybe don’t do that. Get a reservation before you go (it’s easy, just do it on Unilocal).
The number of items to get is slightly over stated, so you can go less if you want and still be full. If you’re a rice lover like me, you can get more rice once you run out.
Only complaint here is the beer is EXPENSIVE. Who charges $ 8 for a Tsingtao.

Let’s start with: best dry pot we had in NYC so far.
We ordered 15 items from the menu for the dry pot and most of them were meat, because we know begat me is going to be extra spicy in an already very spicy pot.
However, the quality and authenticity of the dry pot cooking is astonishing. Everything is freshly cooked and seasoned appropriately. We finished the entire dry pot (3 ppl) in half an hour, that’s how delicious it is.
I also recommend the left over fried rice, it’s not actually leftovers and it does not feel like leftover so don’t worry. It’s simply a savory fried rice that worth a try!

Authentic flavors served in experimental method.
We landed here on a Sunday evening for dinner. It was crowded so we waited about 45 minutes. It’s a casual restaurant with solid wooden tables and we were seated at a communal table in the back. The mood was upbeat and fun for a casual Sunday dinner.
Flavor (on point!!) — I’m Chinese and have had plenty of classic Szechuan dining growing up. The hot sesame oil flavor was 100% on point. The appetizers and mains we ordered were all covered with the numbing hot sesame oil and cilantro, and reminded me of when I had it at other restaurants with my family in the US and in China. The good thing is we could order various spice levels and chose one that accommodated our tolerance, phew!
Food (interesting?) — The strange part of eating here, or perhaps this is the «project» piece in the name, is that all the ingredients are fried together. I thought they might separate some of them but it all came out in this huge bowl. We picked some random ingredients so the stirfry had 10 ingredients in it. In the future I may try asking if we can separate some of them so that the ingredients pair better in each dish.
Service (³⁄₅) — Good service but the waiter recommended we choose 3 – 4 ingredients per person. We chose 10 items (2 veggies, 1 tofu, 7 meats) and it ended up being wayyyy too much for us! Even the leftovers lasted me for three meals afterwards, so order cautiously.

We got to sit in the back area which is quite nice with the open patio but the food wasn’t that impressive to me. I love Szechuan food but maybe dry pot isn’t my favorite.
The scallion pancakes, the chicken and the pig ear cartilage were good but the main dish itself was just ok.

Many people including some of my Chinese friends said this place is the most authentic Szechuan place, so my friend and I went there this Memorial Day weekend. We were not impressed.
We ordered the fried scallion pancake as appetizer. It was like other scallion pancakes and nothing special.
We then had 10-​item dry pot, spicy, that contained sliced eye of round, pork tenderloin, fish fillet, oyster mushrooms, bean curd sheet, sweet potatoes, lotus roots, and vegetables. The portion was okay, just right for two people (I’m a big eater, though), but certain things we ordered were tiny bit, such as fish, broccoli, and wood ear.
It was not that spicy to us, since we both come from cities famous for spicy hot food. I believe they also added Shacha sauce in it, which is a savory sweet meet sauce that can mild down the spiciness. But it was really greasy and oily, like most of the Szechuan dishes. If you are not used to heavy food, be careful not to eat too much or your stomach will not feel well.
Overall, it was another so-​so Szechuan restaurant. I like that they use Chinese prickly ash as part of the seasoning (it’s essential to Szechuan cuisine), while many so-​called Szechuan restaurants don’t because it’s not of Americans’ taste. I’d recommend lotus roots, because you can taste the natural sweetness from the roots.
But service is good and nice deco.

I really wanted to like this place since it is the only table serviced dry pot place in the city but it did not meet my expectations. It is on the pricier side and although we ordered 9 items for 2 people, the portions of each item was small and uneven relative to other items that we ordered. The cabbage was so minuscule, that we didn’t even realize they put any in at all. However, they did put in a lot of tofu skin. I’ve been to quite a few dry pot restaurants and the flavor here just seems a bit off. Another important factor worth mentioning is that the white rice was mushy! Quite disappointing to say the least since I usually eat a lot of rice with the dry pot in order to lessen the spice but in this case, I barely touched the rice.
We also ordered fried dumplings as our appetizer but it was nothing special. I prefer Manting in Midtown West or to venture off into flushing for better dry pot.

I reserved a table for dinner for my parents because they want to eat some Chinese food nearby. That’s the only reason I chose this restaurant again, even though they left me with super terrible experience last time.
However, their manger/​boss called me directly and told me strictly that they’re no longer welcome me and asked me don’t go to their restaurant ever again — BECAUSE I WROTE A BAD REVIEW ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE, WHICH INFLUENCED BADLY.

«Dry hot pot, that’s basically stir fry, right?»
I still don’t understand how I convinced a crowd of 10 to come to a Sichuan dry hot pot place for a dinner to celebrate the return of a friend from the West Coast. Normally the combined food allergies, vegetarian status, health concerns and generally preferences of such a large group lead to a compromise choice of something far safer and mundane. (See: the number of northern Italian restaurants with group seating.)
But we made it, a group of people where only a couple had been to China, and the experience of several around Sichuan food was «spicy bean curd» on a takeout menu. And at Mala Project, you don’t just dip a toe in. This is a full-​scale temple to the numbing and spicy peppers of Central China. You choose ingredients and a spice level, but no base to these pots. They are all coming «mala.»
Our party broke into several subgroups to accommodate the vegetarians and one borderline insane person who decided to order his extra spicy. We had our spice «normal,» I still wound up chugging through two beers and a bunch of rice, stopping with a numb tounge and plenty of food leftover.
With the bigger pots, you are encouraged to get more ingredients, but I found myself struggling to find the stuffed fish balls or pieces of sausage among all of the things in the bowl. Like so many of the places in Manhattan, definitely feel free to come in under the «recommended» serving sizes. This was especially true as we worked our way through the spinach salad, fried chicken and egg custard before (and during) the main course.
Devastatingly spicy, impressively accurate and totally unique in the New York dining scene, a dinner at the Mala Project will be memorable, no matter the size of the group.

As a huge dry pot lover, I was so excited to find this place on Unilocal last month. Mala project does not disappoint! The flavors in each bowl change depending on what toppings you add, but every time is legit and seriously tasty. This is a real Sichuan peppercorn fiesta in your mouth.
My boyfriend and I really enjoyed their prix fixe for Chinese New Year, which included a champagne pairing with the dry pot. It was well done and we are excited to sample their prix fixes in the future.
The waitstaff is friendly and attentive. They will help you find good things to throw into your dry pot if you need it. They will also help you navigate how spicy you want to go. I was definitely pleased with the service here.

From the moment I walked in and heard the old Chinese music floating through the air, I knew this place would be authentic. From the wooden bowls that the food comes in to the hot water thermos sitting around, everything here reminded me of home. There were even classic Chinese phrases painted on the wall that exactly resembled those I see everywhere in China. The atmosphere hit me with so much nostalgia, I could not wait to try the food.
Food: We ordered the Husband and Wife beef appetizer which is one of my favorite Szhechuan appetizers ever. The dish was the perfect amount of spicy to numbing and a great way to wake up the palate.
For the main event, the mala xiang guo, I ordered some lamb, beef round, spam, pork belly, wood ear, shiitake mushrooms, squid, fish ball (get the one with meat inside), fish cake, lotus root, celtuce, bean curd sheet, tofu pocket and glass noodles. It was difficult to narrow down all the choices since they all sounded so good! The selection is exactly what I would expect if I went to a Mala xianguo place in China. They have a great selection of offals too that I will for sure try next time. I ordered the Spicy level which was perfect. Just spicy enough to feel that sweet, sweet burn but not enough where I couldn’t enjoy the food. The Wang Wang milk drink is key to cooling down the spice also.
Overall, what an amazing trip down memory lane with some amazing food. I can’t believe such a place exist in East Village and not in Chinatown! I will for sure be back soon and maybe even order delivery a few times.

Good Solid Real spicy dry pot! Just couldn’t stop until I finished! Great satisfaction for spicy food lover! Yum Yum.
The way dry pot works is similar to hot pot. You can choose items from several categories: meat, tofu, and veggies to add. There are about 4 levels of spiciness (non-​spicy, mild spicy, spicy, and to choose from for the whole dry pot. My friend and I went with spicy level and 12 items. Lamb, chicken wings, fish ball, emoki mushroom, lotus root, Celtuce, wakame, and tofu skin all goes perfect in dry pot! Even veggies are soooo tasty!
My favorite spot for spicy Chinese in town.

I came here on Saturday with 3 of my girlfriends and were quickly seated since we had a reservation. They were nice enough to seat us first even though only half our party was there in the beginning. Seating is tight there, but the waitresses are able to maneuver through the small spaces in between tables haha. This used to be South Brooklyn pizza (which I sorely miss! They had awesome pizza…), and layout used to be this small long storefront. They seem to have knocked down some walls and also rented out the space next door to make a pretty large restaurant space (in a U-​shape).
Very similar to hotpot, the menu consists of a bunch of ingredients that you can pick to make your dry hotpot. For 4 people, they suggest picking 12 or more items. The more expensive items are $ 6 a serving, and the cheaper ones for around $ 3. They also offer a bunch of appetizers, and beer/​cocktails too! We ended up picking exactly 12 (included beef slices, beef tendon, beef balls, pork balls, pork belly slices, quail egg, fish fillet, shiitake mushrooms, lotus root, chinese cabbage, taro, firm tofu) and picked mild spicy. Would probably recommend that for anyone who hasn’t been here just to test it out.
Everything was pretty delicious! Mild spicy gave just enough kick and numbness, and everything was seasoned really well. The meats were tender, and veggies tasted fresh. Everyone also gets a free bowl of white rice to wash down the spicyness (if you want purple rice, it’s extra)! We were SO close to finishing it all, but we were defeated at maybe a spoonful of food left haha. Including tip, we each paid around $ 17. Doesn’t sound like much for dinner, but if you think about what you’re getting, it’s actually pretty pricey all together. An AYCE hotpot in Chinatown only costs around $ 23 each. We all paid with credit cards and I appreciated how they didn’t put a cap on how many cards they could swipe. Anyway, next time I come here, maybe we’ll try some of their appetizers :).
Seems like they can accommodate huge parties — there was a large birthday party seated near us when we went. The waitresses were all super nice, service was fast (pretty sure we finished our meal and left in under an hour).
I know most people think that this is the first and only malatang place in the city, but there’s actually another one in midtown (definitely not as sit-​down-​y and cute as mala project, but good for quick lunches if you work near here) called Manting —
. Not as nice and not as well organized, but it’s the same stuff! I guess mala project is the first one to get it right and popular ;).

I think I finally found my perfect spot in the city, in terms of spicy pot type of food. The wooden wall outside even reminded me my childhood in Beijing, where family sat down next to the wall and ate dinner together.
Ordering was also straightforward — picking as many ingredients as you want (but not too many I assume) and topping that with customized level of spiciness. Kindly toss down a bit as it could get REALLY spicy here, and you do not want that to ruin your tasty food.
As a group of three, we had the privilege to choose many «input» for our «project». My favorite out of favorite was the combo of spam, chicken gizzard and fish cake! Also, make sure to order liangfen of happy tears, a very famous noodle dish in southern part of China featuring sour spiciness.
Such a hearty spot! I like it inside out.

I was one of the first there upon opening. Their specialty is the dry pot.
Select 5 – 6 items to be out in your bowl of dry pot. Select how hot you would want it to be.
I asked for the hottest, cellophane noodles which was prepared Al dente, a strange vegetable cepsus, broccoli, chicken wings, pork tendons and cilantro. It was like eating a salad with Sichuan spices. That’s what a dry pot is!
They served it with a warm bowl of slightly sweetened «soup» with sweet rice bowls and egg white that looked like an egg drop soup.
This «soup» can be eaten anyway you want to. As an appetizer, dessert or with the meal. My conclusion is eating it with the meal before drinking water. This «soup» cleansed my palette prior to drinking water. This helped my tongue normalize after the spicy dish before drinking water.