Malai Thai Vietnamese Kitchen to Open in West Village

Posted on September 10th, 2010 11:23am by Nancy Nichols
Filed under Ethnic Food, Openings/Closings, Restaurant News

Malai will open in early December in the space formerly known as Tom Tom Noodle House. The focus is “the moderately priced, casual restaurant will offer classical Thai and Vietnamese cuisine with an emphasis on fresh, local ingredients.” Details below.

West Village is proud to confirm the lease for Malai – Thai Vietnamese Kitchen, which will occupy the former Tom Tom Noodle House restaurant space.

Scheduled to open in early December, the moderately priced, casual restaurant will offer classical Thai and Vietnamese cuisine with an emphasis on fresh, local ingredients.

Malai owners, Braden and Yasmin Wages, graduates of Cornell University’s School of Hospitality Management, have trained with Hillstone Restaurant Group, owner of Houston’s Restaurants.

Previously serving as general manager of R+D Kitchen and assistant general manager of Park Restaurant, respectively, the two up-and-comers believe their combined experience will contribute to the success of their new venture. “We are very excited to open our first restaurant in West Village,” said Yasmin. “There is a lot of positive energy here, and an appetite for a cultural culinary experience.”

Featuring design elements such as bamboo tabletops, wood floors and locally designed light fixtures, Malai will offer diners guests an inspired dining experience. The restaurant will also feature an open kitchen, dramatic open-air patio, and an active bar scene offering specialty cocktails.

The menu, developed by Braden and Yasmin, will offer gastronomically creative renditions of traditional Thai and Vietnamese dishes. Signature dishes will feature fresh summer rolls, Kobe beef tartar, Vietnamese beef noodle soup (Pho Bo), and the always classic Pad Thai.

14 comments

  1. Good! Sounds like a great atmosphere. Tom Tom noodle house was a big disappointment. :(

    @ 11:44 am on September 10, 2010

  2. not sure why they are opening another asian thai/viet restaurant when the other (tomtom) place failed…they will be shut down in 6 months

    @ 11:55 am on September 10, 2010

  3. Obviously right never tried Tom Tom. The place was always empty and failed because it was mediocre food, not because people don’t like that type of food.

    @ 1:50 pm on September 10, 2010

  4. trust me it will fail…i want to see asians cooking my asian food with an asian head chef, thats how i know its real, not some kids that came out of cornell with a hospitality degree

    @ 2:07 pm on September 10, 2010

  5. Real Vietnamese food cooked by real Vietnamese cooks can be found in any one of a myriad of real Vietnamese restaurants in Garland. Bistro B, Le Me, etc, etc, etc.

    What’s going to open in the West Village will not be the same.

    @ 4:26 pm on September 10, 2010

  6. I heard Tom Tom closed because of operational issues aka they did not pay their taxes.

    @ 4:27 pm on September 10, 2010

  7. I live walking distance to West Village. There is nothing but mediocre, overpriced food there. I want it to be better, but every place has disappointed. I hope they get it right. Tom Tom was terrible.

    @ 8:12 am on September 11, 2010

  8. I didn’t go back to Tom Tom because the open part of the kitchen was absolutely filthy. If a restaurant doesn’t care about the cleanliness of the parts you can see it doesn’t bode well for the safety and sanitation of the rest.

    @ 9:36 am on September 11, 2010

  9. @right could you direct me to YOUR successful restaurant?
    and why all the hatefulness??
    and for the record you should peek your head around the kitchen corner and see the hispanics cooking your food at the asian restaurants.
    i say good luck to the young couple!!!

    @ 12:27 pm on September 11, 2010

  10. You go, k.c! You are so right about hispanics cooking asian food! With dedication and hard work and their great background, there is no way they can fail.

    @ 2:26 pm on September 11, 2010

  11. I can’t wait to try this new restaurant! Despite the previous restaurant’s flops, the new restaurant is worth a try! With the background and experience of the owners, I am sure it will be a wonderful, amazing dining adventure and I am anticipating its opening!

    @ 9:35 am on September 12, 2010

  12. Can’t wait to check it out! However, I keep wishing for worthwhile Chinese restaurant in the Oaklawn/uptown/HP area!

    @ 10:24 am on September 12, 2010

  13. this place has success written all over it. if you guys need a point of sale network system, give me a shout, we designed one for a restaurant in West Texas!

    @ 9:56 pm on September 14, 2010

  14. R+D + Park = a fabulous pedigree. I’m down to try anything that those two put together. Chopsticks at the ready!

    @ 1:53 pm on September 23, 2010