Malai Kitchen goes through plenty of noodles each day. Currently, Malai Kitchen produces 200-300 pounds of fresh noodles daily, including a special Pho noodle and wide-flat rice noodles used in signature dishes at all four locations.
The dishes are amazing, and the owners, Jasmin and Braden Wages are always improving their dishes to offer the most amazing dishes such as their assorted dishes under their Wok Fired Noodle menu which includes offerings such as their fabulous Pad Thai, Pad Kee Mow with it’s wide, drunken noodles and Pad See Ew, the ever popular Chicken and Broccoli Noodles. With four locations that is plenty of noodles.
With so many noodles the only way to improve taste and quality would be to produce the noodles in-house from proper freshness and flavor.
Yasmin and Braden started the journey to make their own noodles in-house 12 years ago. Now, they finally have that ability. It all began when they were enchanted by the flavors of Pho in Hanoi, Vietnam. The unforgettable experience led them to dream of making their own noodles—one that perfectly captured the luxurious, silky texture they encountered. After years of searching, they discovered a solution in a custom noodle machine from a Vietnamese machinist shop.
This machine, resembling a conveyor belt, transforms rice-water batter into delectable noodle strands through a precise steaming, cutting, and cooling process. Currently, Malai Kitchen produces 200-300 pounds of fresh noodles daily, including a special Pho noodle and wide-flat rice noodles used in signature dishes at all four locations.
Quality is key when making your own noodles, just ask David Chang of Momofuku fame goes through thousands of pounds of noodles at his various restaurants from New York to Las Vegas, and freshness is the key.
Quality control also plays a crucial role, and the team at Malai Kitchen scoured Vietnam for specific high-protein rice flour to achieve the desired flavor and consistency. When they found this “secret ingredient” they placed an order for a staggering 40,000 pounds of rice flour imported directly from Vietnam.
The noodle-making process involves meticulous attention to time, temperature, and moisture, overseen by their dedicated noodle expert.
While there are other restaurants exploring fresh noodle production, the Wages’ have not seen this anywhere although they hear there is one restaurant in Garland serving fresh pho noodles. Malai Kitchen stands out by continually pushing boundaries, making many ingredients from scratch, and offering guests an unparalleled dining experience.
This remarkable journey from culinary inspiration to the creation of their own noodles showcases the dedication and passion of the Wages’ to serve authentic Vietnamese cuisine at their restaurants.
