Malai Kitchen: A Modern Approach to Thai and Vietnamese Cuisine in Dallas, Southlake, and Fort Worth

Inspired by their travels through Thailand and Vietnam, husband-and-wife team Braden and Yasmin Wages have created a menu that offers a unique and flavorful twist on traditional Southeast Asian cuisine. And while Malai Kitchen's dishes may not always be traditional, they are certainly tasty. They offer a very modem take on your favorite Thai and Vietnamese dishes, they also take some liberty and add in a little fun with a few brunch dishes that you would not expect, such as the Bahn Mi French toast, Thai eggs benedict or their Thai Chicken and waffles.

A sampler is also a great start to get an idea of the selection, size and quality that a restaurant may have on offer. If a restaurant get the sampler of appetizers wrong, I will often end my meal at that point as it will rarely get better. The sampler at Malai inspired me to order more appetizers.

I love Vietnamese food so we went a little over what we would normally get for a simple lunch. I visited the Southlake Restaurant. All of the items were well prepared and tasty if not always traditional. If you're not sure where to start, try the Malai Favorites Sampler. It's a great way to get a taste of the variety and quality that this restaurant has to offer. The Seared Ahi Tuna Spring Rolls and Shrimp Spring Rolls are also excellent appetizer.

And for entrees, I can recommend the Iron Pot Green Curry Chicken, Bangkok Street Rice, and Massaman Curry Lamb Shank. And don't forget to try one of their Thai Coffees!

The food is great but the food is not what you have always gotten, each item is slightly or greatly different from the traditional American style Thai and Vietnamese food you have had in the past, if your good with that, then you have a great time.

The service was great, the place is full on the weekends, so if coming with a large group you may want to make a reservation.

The ambiance of Malai Kitchen is cozy and stylish, with an open kitchen that allows you to watch the chefs at work. Seeing the different items coming up on the counter on the other side of the glass inspired us to order a few extra items, since the looked so interesting. And I even have a few that I would not have order that looked so interesting such as the Thai eggs benedict, that I have it on my list for my next visit.

The stylish decor and cozy seating only enhance the experience. And the service is top-notch, so you're sure to have a great experience. Just be sure to make a reservation if you're coming with a large group, as the restaurant can get busy on weekends.

If you're a fan of Vietnamese food like we are, you'll definitely want to give Malai Kitchen a try. It's a bit pricier than your average Thai or Vietnamese restaurant, but the quality of the food more than makes up for the cost.