Malai — Restaurant in New York

Okay, so... you should know that this review is coming from a person, (me), who doesn’t typically enjoy sweets. I’ll dabble if there’s a recommendation from a good source, an original flavor, interesting idea, sustainable effort, etc. - Malai was just that. It was excellent.

We waited in line for about 7 minutes or so. It appears that they let a customer or two in at a time and everyone in line understood that - was a casual and cool vibe. Once you enter the small ice cream shop, the decor is simple and clean. The space almost looks unlived in, but in a welcoming way. Some scents welcome you that you wouldn’t typically associate with sweets... and that just the way I like it. We had some questions about the menu and flavor variation - the woman helping us was very knowledgeable and fun - this naturally added to the experience.

I mean, this ice cream was good. Ridiculous flavors. I chose to go with the masala chai, combined with the coconut cone. When I tell you these flavors compliment each other so well, I’m so serious - SO well.

The one downfall is, if you get a cone, it will start leaking from the bottom in about 37 seconds, (possibly because this ice cream is eggless), so maybe ask for a cup to put underneath the cone and catch the drips or load up on napkins. Either should do the trick.

Cost comparison so you’re able to get an idea of what you’re getting yourself into financially:

I got 1 scoop of masala chai with the coconut cone = $7.50

My friend got 3 scoops with a chocolate cone = $10.50

Conclusion? Your money goes a lot further the more scoops you get. It’s kind of like purchasing the base model of a Honda and adding on the all-weather floor mats, fancy rims and heated seats. Either way, it’s well worth it.

Bottom line: I appreciate it when people are passionate about their craft and willing to take risks. Malai pushes the envelope with non-traditional ice cream ingredients and flavors that you might not necessarily think would compliment one another and they change your perception. Go here. Check this place out and switch up your ice cream vibe. Think you’ll enjoy it.

PS... there are two...

I was so excited to finally try Malai, it had been on my list for a while! I convinced my friend to make the trip & while the flavors themselves didn’t disappoint, the experience did. I tried two flavors before deciding what to get in the moment & after purchasing my ice cream, I went back to buy a pint. However, the cashier only allowed me to try one more flavor, making it a total of just three samples even after I had already made a purchase. I would have bought more pints, but without being able to sample, I stuck to 2 of the Pistachio Saffron.

To make it more frustrating, after reading reviews, it turns out that other employees have allowed customers to try more flavors. I get that it was a Saturday, but it wasn’t even busy. It honestly felt like her shift was about to end—who knows—but her tone was noticeably nicer to other customers. She also rushed us through our order & didn’t even seem to know which flavors were in the soft serve, which made the experience more confusing. These aren’t your typical vanilla or chocolate chip flavors, so sampling really mattered. We weren’t asking for full spoons, just a small taste would have been enough.

As someone of Indian descent, I also expected a more authentic experience. The staff didn’t seem knowledgeable about the flavors, & other customers were relying on us for descriptions. It felt odd, like going to an Italian restaurant & not being greeted by anyone familiar with Italian cuisine.

After taking three subway transfers to get there, I don’t think I’d return. Instead, I’d recommend visiting any Indian grocery store like Patel Brothers & trying Vadilal-branded ice creams—you can get smaller sizes & sample a variety for the price of one pint here. Honestly, it’ll probably be a better & more authentic experience. For a more authentic cultural vibe (though no ice cream), visit Kolkata Chai Co.—you’ll enjoy the staff’s warmth, the energy, & of course, their flavorful, thoughtfully crafted chai!

The flavors we did try at Malai were good, but the interaction with the staff completely...

Sent the wrong cake! I ordered the Classic Cardamom celebration cake with Rose, Cinnamon Roasted Almond and Masala Chai ice cream through Goldbelly for my sister's birthday...Malai sent me the vegan chocolate peanut butter cake in the classic cake box (picture attached). I had ordered one month before for the cake to arrive two days before my sister's birthday. When I opened the package and saw it was labeled classic cake both in the outside and inside of the cake box I thought I was fine. The day of her birthday I unwrapped the cake fully and it was the vegan cake. I understand mistakes happen but this was a big oversight. My family is crazy chai people and not big chocolate people and not vegan so it was upsetting not having the cake we wanted which I ordered far in advance for the birthday. Goldbelly customer service was slow to get back to me and said they'd give me a "one time exception" refund as if somehow they were doing me a favor when it was the fault of the vendor. This was an OVER $80 CAKE so of course I wanted my money back when I didn't get what I ordered. I tried reaching out to Malai directly to fix the order but received no response. Now though I really want to try the classic cake I am nervous if they send me the wrong one again I won't get a refund. ALSO they need to check how they pack the dry ice. It was in an open plastic bag so if you are not careful pulling it out, its going to spill all over the floor (unfortunately for me it did spill all over the floor.) I've never received something in unsealed...