Hot pot restaurants can be found all over New York City, but MáLà Project offers an unbroached version of the comfort food with dry pot.

The main difference between dry pot and hot pot is in the broth, specifically the lack thereof in dry pot. Diners don’t cook the ingredients themselves at the table as most commonly practiced when eating hot pot. Instead, they pick items to mix, which is then cooked by the chef and served in a wooden bowl garnished with chili oil and fresh cilantro.

One of MáLà Project’s owners, Meng Ai, credits the lack of dry pot in New York as the catalyst of the creation of the restaurant.

“There are so many Chinese restaurants in New York, but we couldn’t find any good dry pot,” Ai said.

Middle school best friends and MáLà Project’s owners today, Ai and Amelie Ning Kang addressed the issue of the lack of Sichuan dry pot in New York City back in 2015 with their first MáLà Project in the East Village. The duo attribute MáLà Project’s success to their loyal following, and Ai said that their staff was incredibly devoted.

Continuing its success, MáLà Project opened its second location, an industrial chic place to enjoy authentic spicy Sichuan dry pot, near Bryant Park this past Valentine’s Day.  

The menu features the signature customizable MáLà Dry Pot along with Chinese dishes. The entire menu is characterized by many spices, only fitting since the Chinese word “mala” translates to “numbing” and “spicy” in English. Though some items on the menu may throw you off —  like beef tongue, chicken gizzard or chicken testicles — MáLà also offers classic options like dim sum or scallion pancakes for those less adventurous.

When I went MáLà, the Pig Ear in Chili Oil did sound quite intimidating but was pleasantly surprising and quite delicious. The Mouthwatering Chicken Feet, however, turned out to be a little too fragrant for my liking.

The MáLà Dry Pot is offered with four levels of spiciness, and the “super spicy” option is definitely not for the faint of heart. As for the dry pot itself, the wide variety of mushrooms was one of the standouts. Even if you aren’t a huge fan of mushrooms, you should definitely give them a shot here.

MáLà Project is open daily for lunch and dinner. If looking into lunch, the lunch special is a deal. For a reasonable price range from $11 to $13, you can choose from 10 dry pots with pre-selected ingredients. For dinner, you are able to choose from 52 ingredients priced between $3 to $8 —a  word of caution: the ingredients can start adding up, so order mindfully. Make sure to make a reservation if you’re making dinner plans on Friday or Saturday night, as it tends to get packed.

No matter your preferences, this is a place to visit if you enjoy flavorful food. Make a trip out of it with friends and go to Bryant Park, or visit the original location situated closer to campus in the East Village. Although it isn’t hard to find a Chinese restaurant in New York City, MáLà Project is bringing dry pot to front and center with its new, second location.

Email Anah Oozeerally at [email protected].