There’s been a huge storm of Chinese restaurants here in Manila lately. I’m not just talking about our usual dim sum restaurants or Cantonese restaurants that serve the Chinese food that we already love. I’m talking about more different kinds of hotpot and more regional Chinese restaurants that’s more than the usual Sweet and Sour Pork or Yangchow Fried Rice, hehe. Well, this may be because there are a lot more Chinese nationals now here in Manila. It may also be because Filipinos are now more open to embracing other kinds of Chinese dishes. What do you think? Well, this may be good for foodies like us who would want to try out new things. It can also be good for the general food scene that we have here in Manila. Before I move further, this EATSperience of mine (Mr. Eats) will be about a restaurant at a fairly new mall in Pasay City that features really spicy Chinese food for Chinese nationals and locals who love spicy stuff. The restaurant that I will be sharing about is Mala Szechuan Chinese Cuisine at Met Live Mall in Pasay City! If you want to know more about it, please keep on reading especially if spicy food is your thing. Enjoy!
Mala Szechuan Chinese Cuisine at Met Live Mall!
Mala Szechuan is located at the Met Live Mall in Pasay City. It is located along the side of the mall that is facing the Macapagal Boulevard and is just across Blue Bay Walk. Mala Szechuan is known for serving up some of the spiciest dishes in Metro Manila because of its Szechuan origins.
Szechuan cuisine is known for spicy and really flavorful dishes. If you have eaten Kung Pao Chicken, Mapo Tofu, and Cold Noodle Salad, then you have definitely eaten Szechuan Chinese food.
Mala means “Numbing Hot” that’s why the restaurant is named Mala because it refers to the feeling after eating their spicy yet really tasty dishes.
You see that chili-eating man mural? hehe! Yup, that’s what I kind of did in this EATSperience. Try Mala’s numbing hot dishes and see if it’s worth the blood, sweat, and lots of tears!
Mala has quite a sizable dining area downstairs and a small private dining area upstairs. If you prefer a more intimate dining experience with a group, try asking for this dining room. If you want to see other people enjoying their Mala EATSperience, dine downstairs.
Shrimp Dumpling (Php 380)
Nothing beats freshly boiled dumplings! Mala Szcechuan’s Shrimp Dumpling had perfection written all over it. The sauce was really savory and spicy! Definitely, a must try at Mala.
Signature Fish Fillet in Pickled Vegetables (Php 880)
If you want something that’s not super spicy, this one’s a must try! I enjoyed this one because I am really familiar with how Chinese pickled vegetables taste like and I find it really tasty and refreshing. A great break from all the chili and spice.
Deep Fried Shrimp Skewers (Php 680)
Super crispy, juicy, and really really yummy! The shrimps were super crispy and I was able to eat it without removing its head and shell. I love how it tasted, too! Really peppery and super fragrant from all the spices used. Awesome stuff!
Cumin Beef (Php 580)
One of the best dishes of my Mala EATSperience! I loved the tenderness of the beef. It was cooked to perfection and was well-seasoned, too! Didn’t really think cumin would go well with Chinese food but I was wrong. This one’s too good to pass up on.
Stir-Fried Pork Intestines (Php 480)
This one has Szechuan cuisine written all over it. Spicy and peppery dish to the max! Best enjoyed fresh of the wok and with lots of white rice. I didn’t enjoy this as much as the others because I am not a pork intestines kind of guy. My friends did enjoy it, though.
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Grilled Garlic Scallop (Php 680)
This is another dish that’s perfect for people who don’t eat spicy food! Mala has a great Grilled Garlic Scallop dish that’s extremely fresh, garlicky, and tasty. I can probably eat at least two plates of these awesome sea creatures. Definitely, a must try!
Sweet and Sour Prawn (Php 880)
Can’t say no to a plate of plump and juicy prawns especially if they’re cooked this way! I may have put more effort into eating this than the fried ones but damn, it was worth it. Not your traditional sweet and sour as this was more sour and thicker. However, this was still pretty delicious!
Pork Ear in Chili Oil (Php 290)
For something that is lightly spiced, I would suggest that you try Mala’s Pork Ear in Chili Oil. The pork ear was crunchy and chewy at the same time while the chili oil is spicy but really flavorful.
Signature Szechuan Grilled Lapu-Lapu (Php 1,680)
Last but not the least, one whole Lapu-Lapu (Grouper) for the whole group! No pun intended, hehe. I love how Mala uses the sweetness of the fresh Lapu-Lapu to balance out all the spicy flavors in this dish. As you can see, there are really a lot of chilies in here but the true hero of this dish is how greatly balanced all the flavors are which made oh so good!
Mala Szechuan Chinese Cuisine is one hot restaurant that has a great mix of spicy and non-spicy dishes for everyone! This restaurant is a great way to learn more about other regional Chinese cuisines. Dining at Mala opened my eyes to other tasty Chinese dishes that Filipinos can also learn to love. If you want to try Mala out, make sure to ask about the dishes that you are eyeing to try to avoid ordering dishes that you won’t be able to eat. That’s it for this edition of EATSplorations, ’till next time!
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Mala Szechuan
Ground Floor, Met Live Mall, EDSA Corner Macapagal Boulevard, Mall of Asia Complex (MOA), Pasay City
+632 403 9430 / +63917 963 4666
Operating Hours:
11:00am to 3:00am (Mon-Sun)
Budget: 1200 php for two
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