Málà Magic: Serving Up Simmering Flavors in College Town
A build-your-own bowl of Malatang made fresh at Málà Magic in Rochester, New York’s College Town.
If you’ve visited College Town recently, you may have noticed that the few blocks between Elmwood Ave and Crittenden Blvd on Mt. Hope are buzzing with new restaurants. Whether it’s Taichi Bubble tea, Insomnia cookies, Mochinut donuts, Philly cheesesteaks from Primo Hoagies, Crave Ramen, sushi from E-Suki, Mediterranean cuisine from Pita, India House, an all-you-can-eat Brazilian steakhouse, or American cuisine, you can find it all in this corner of the city. College Town has become the prime destination and hangout spot for many University of Rochester students, faculty, staff, University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) medical staff, and numerous visitors.
While several more places are opening in the next few months, one new restaurant serving a popular Chinese ‘build-your-own’ dish called ‘Malatang’ is simmering some serious flavors. Málà Magic only recently opened its doors, but there is plenty of excitement coming from anyone who loves personalizing a hot pot with simmering broth filled with fresh ingredients like broccoli, tofu, corn on the cob, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, quail eggs, lettuce, crab legs, fish, udon, and ramen noodles, and various meats.
Cooler shelves with an abundance of ingredients to choose from. You can build your dish by adding anything or everything from fresh vegetables, seafood, noodles, tofu, beef, and lamb.
The staff at Málà Magic are extremely friendly and eager to help customers understand the concept if they have not tried Malatang before. Once you get the hang of it, it is relatively simple: pick some ingredients, choose a soup base, weigh your ingredients, which must be at least 1lb, and the cooks will do the rest. What you get is a simmering bowl of delicious Malatang made personally for your enjoyment.
The space is also a delight to step into. The designers worked some magic when developing the interior design. The restaurant is spacious with plenty of wooden tables and modern light fixtures. If you’re a customer, you can access their Wi-Fi, which makes it a great space for a group of students, friends, a small work team, or someone who needs accessible internet during lunch or dinner. It is also a great place to step away from technology and unwind with a hot meal.
A side view of the counter space and menu board at Málà Magic in College Town.
If you’re a fan of hot pot, broths, and picking out fresh ingredients for your dishes, then you’re going to find Málà Magic to be a delightful place to drop in for lunch or dinner. They will be open Sunday to Thursday from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm, and from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm on Friday and Saturday. Enjoy!