Malan Noodles: No longer Cheap, But Still Delicious
I am shocked, shocked, shocked. I used to go to Malan Noodles in Hacienda Heights for a good bowl of freshly hand pulled noodles in beef broth without having to wait in line during lunch time. My husband has an aversion to waiting in line for a meal at a popular restaurant. Every time we go to Rowland Heights to visit the parents during the unfortunate busy lunch hour, our go to Chinese restaurant is always Malan Noodles. Malan was never busy, and the food was always good but not popular.
Yesterday, we were doing the same thing: Going to Malan during lunch hour. To our surprise, the interior has changed. Instead of long nondescript tables with bench seating, there are now booths and small two persons wooden tables. The ambience definitely looked nicer and this probably attracted more diners. While we still didn't have to wait in line, the place was quite full.
The menu is the same as before but everything seems to be two dollars more expensive. A Latino guy is behind the counter kneading the dough and pulling it into noodles a la Chinese. Very impressive. When our cold handcut translucent cold noodles in sesame sauce arrived, it tastes the same as I remembered. The large round hand pulled noodles in beef broth are so long, I swear one string of noodle probably filled half the bowl. Just two strands likely filled the entire bowl. The noodle was kneaded and pulled into al dente perfection, and the broth was delicious as always.
While the price for a bowl of the noodle soup went up to $13.00 per bowl, I think given the fact that it is freshly hand pulled, it merits the price increase. After all, over on the Westside, a bowl of ramen noodles costs the same and the noodles are not even made fresh.
So, folks, do try out Malan Noodles even though the price is more expensive than before. If you like Ramen, you won't be disappointed by the Chinese style noodles in delicious clear beef broth without the artery clogging pork fat that seems to be all the rage in Japanese ramen houses these days. However, until they open a new branch out west, you will have to embark on the occasional 35 miles drive from the Westside to Malan Noodle in Hacienda Heights. It is worth the trip, I promise.
Malan Noodle, 2020 S Hacienda Blvd Hacienda Heights, CA 91745 (626) 369-5602
Yesterday, we were doing the same thing: Going to Malan during lunch hour. To our surprise, the interior has changed. Instead of long nondescript tables with bench seating, there are now booths and small two persons wooden tables. The ambience definitely looked nicer and this probably attracted more diners. While we still didn't have to wait in line, the place was quite full.
The menu is the same as before but everything seems to be two dollars more expensive. A Latino guy is behind the counter kneading the dough and pulling it into noodles a la Chinese. Very impressive. When our cold handcut translucent cold noodles in sesame sauce arrived, it tastes the same as I remembered. The large round hand pulled noodles in beef broth are so long, I swear one string of noodle probably filled half the bowl. Just two strands likely filled the entire bowl. The noodle was kneaded and pulled into al dente perfection, and the broth was delicious as always.
While the price for a bowl of the noodle soup went up to $13.00 per bowl, I think given the fact that it is freshly hand pulled, it merits the price increase. After all, over on the Westside, a bowl of ramen noodles costs the same and the noodles are not even made fresh.
So, folks, do try out Malan Noodles even though the price is more expensive than before. If you like Ramen, you won't be disappointed by the Chinese style noodles in delicious clear beef broth without the artery clogging pork fat that seems to be all the rage in Japanese ramen houses these days. However, until they open a new branch out west, you will have to embark on the occasional 35 miles drive from the Westside to Malan Noodle in Hacienda Heights. It is worth the trip, I promise.
Malan Noodle, 2020 S Hacienda Blvd Hacienda Heights, CA 91745 (626) 369-5602
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