Mae Malai Noodles in Thai Town is your go-to spot for fiery, authentic boat noodles served in a cozy strip mall, now with an expanded menu for serious Thai cravings.
"Since transitioning from street vendor to brick-and-mortar, Mai Malai serves a much bigger menu featuring crispy shrimp omelets, pad thai, and housemade Northern Thai sausage full of fragrant lemongrass. That being said, you’re still coming here for the boat noodles, which are some of the best in Los Angeles. For roughly $9, you’re served a small cup of chewy rice noodles, juicy pork meatballs, and crunchy pork rinds with an intensely sharp, spicy, and sour broth. There’s a slight offal funk swimming in this soup, too, but it's cut with fish sauce, lots of herbs, and sweet basil. Just know that when we say this soup is spicy, it ranges from mild (spicy) to Thai spicy (heart palpitations), so trust your gut." - brant cox, arden shore, garrett snyder, sylvio martins
"It’s been a journey for Mae Malai, the street Thai noodle soup sensation that moved from operating outside Silom Supermarket into permanent digs on Hollywood Boulevard in November 2023. Now that owner Malai Data has settled into the space, it’s possible to slurp up her supremely satisfying bowls of boat noodle soup and tom yum noodles any time of day. To take advantage of having a fully outfitted kitchen rather than a makeshift one, Data has added plenty more to her roster of Thai hits, including a pair of pad thai preparations. In addition to the regular version that comes with tofu, chicken, or shrimp, diners can order the pad thai Anusawari, an old-school style with plenty of dried shrimp that’s flavored with sweetened radish and tamarind paste — ingredients popularized during less prosperous times in Thailand. The expanded menu also includes homemade sausages, sticky tamarind-glazed meatballs, wonton soup, and steamed coconut custard for dessert. — Cathy Chaplin, senior editor" - Kat Thompson
"It’s been a journey for Mae Malai, the street Thai noodle soup sensation that moved from operating outside Silom Supermarket into permanent digs on Hollywood Boulevard in November 2023. Now that owner Malai Data has settled into the space, it’s possible to slurp up her supremely satisfying bowls of boat noodle soup and tom yum noodles any time of day. To take advantage of having a fully outfitted kitchen rather than a makeshift one, Data has added plenty more to her roster of Thai hits, including a pair of pad thai preparations. In addition to the regular version that comes with tofu, chicken, or shrimp, diners can order the pad thai Anusawari, an old-school style with plenty of dried shrimp that’s flavored with sweetened radish and tamarind paste — ingredients popularized during less prosperous times in Thailand. The expanded menu also includes homemade sausages, sticky tamarind-glazed meatballs, wonton soup, and steamed coconut custard for dessert. — Cathy Chaplin, senior editor" - Eater Staff
"Mae Malai is a Thai noodles shop in Thai Town that serves steaming, spicy bowls of noodles swimming in rich broth. Though the boat noodles may be what the restaurant is best known for, I always go for the tom yum noodles, alternating between pork and beef as the protein. While the boat noodle broth leans richer, the tom yum broth delivers a one-two punch of spice and acid from the chile and limes." - Eater Staff
"Dish: Boat Noodles This $9 bowl of soup is fairly small (by design), so small you might contemplate ordering a second round. Or maybe you want seconds simply because these are some of the best boat noodles in LA. At Mae Malai, chewy rice noodles come in a dark, murky spicy-sour broth that’s so intensely punchy, it jolts your lips. When we say this soup is spicy, it ranges from mild (spicy) to Thai spicy (heart palpitations), so trust your gut here. Whatever you choose, you’ll find plenty of chopped scallions, crushed pork rinds, and thin slices of tender pork or beef in every spoonful." - brant cox, kat hong, nikko duren, sylvio martins
