YGF Malatang

Been waiting for YGF Malatang to land in Colorado for so long and they're finally here!!! My bowl was perfectly cooked and seasoned. The tomato soup is perfect and you can add some chili oil to spice it up. I hope they'll add the Tom Yum soup base soon like the other locations!

FINALLY MALATANG IS HERE IN DENVER

I love the tomato broth!! The food are so good and the people working there are also super super nice!! Definitely coming back again!!!!

A bowl of noodle soup is comfort for the soul. This branch of international chain YGF Malatang is the first malatang business in the Denver area, and operated super smoothly during their soft opening. This storefront takes over several previous failed businesses in this plaza location, and hopefully will survive as they came out swinging! Plenty of free parking in the shared lot across from Whole Foods. During the soft opening, there was a line winding out the door, yet moved fairly quickly considering that most people were dining in. This speed was thanks in part to the self-serve model (grab a giant salad bowl and tongs, pick your poisons among the veggies, noodles, protein, and yes, even a variety of fish balls), but also the efficiency of the staff continuously prepping and restocking items (we never had to wait long), cooking, and bussing tables. You can tell this ain't their first rodeo. After ordering, you'll receive a number linked to your bowl, which one of the staff will then call out and bring to you when ready. Seating is first come first serve. Drinks are currently limited to some refrigerated bottled drinks and a soda machine. A few nitpicky points for which I docked a star: food labels, pricing, and cross-contamination. Seasoned hot potters will recognize most items in the self-serve bar, however there will definitely be confusion for those who don't normally encounter bamboo shoots, potato noodles, or sliced squid. The only labels currently present are for the pork, beef, and lamb. I'm not a fan of lamb and didn't get any in my bowl, but could definitely taste some of this gaminess in my otherwise delicious and hearty beef-based herb broth. Which is excellent and I wholeheartedly recommend. However, I think for those with true dietary limitations, be a bit wary. Normal pricing is $14.99/lb of food (I hope tared for the bowl). I think most people will end up somewhere around 1-2 lb of food, and with a broth it's easily enough for 1-2 meals. However, it's also easy to just load up a bowl if you come hungry, at which point you're looking at closer to $30 a bowl which can be a lot. Other AYCE places usually cost around $30-40 per, but the mentality of paying for true buffet style is easier to wrap my head around than paying for the service of someone cooking a defined amount for you.