XIN LA GONG FU 辛辣功夫 麻辣烫 신라쿵푸 마라탕

I do not really know what real mainland Chinese mala is supposed to taste like, but speaking as someone who has eaten a lot of mala in Korea, this place is amazing. 🥹 I definitely want to come back often. If you can handle a fair amount of spice, Level 3—similar to Buldak—is a nice, moderate heat. If you are not great with spicy food, even Level 2 might feel pretty intense. But if you love spicy food, Level 4 and up should be a good starting point. (photo is after we already ate two pieces of the guobaorou!)

I do not really know what real mainland Chinese mala is supposed to taste like, but speaking as someone who has eaten a lot of mala in Korea, this place is amazing. 🥹 I definitely want to come back often. If you can handle a fair amount of spice, Level 3—similar to Buldak—is a nice, moderate heat. If you are not great with spicy food, even Level 2 might feel pretty intense. But if you love spicy food, Level 4 and up should be a good starting point. (photo is after we already ate two pieces of the guobaorou!)

Delicious malatang and great flavor. I also love that they can make it non-spicy, so it’s kid-friendly too. Would come back again!

Delicious malatang and great flavor. I also love that they can make it non-spicy, so it’s kid-friendly too. Would come back again!

We generally try not to dine out in the U.S., but when we do, this is almost always the place we choose. We visited with our baby, and there is one high chair available. The staff thoughtfully brought a baby bowl without us having to ask, and we truly appreciated the consideration and kindness shown to our family. With our second child due soon, we are already planning to come back here for our last meal out before the birth.