Lao Ma Mala Tang is a popular chain of hot pot restaurants from Flushing, Queens. Established in 2006 as a catering company specializing in Sichuan hot pots, Lao Ma has been steadily acquiring store fronts across Queens. Now it appears that the hot pot restaurant will be getting its first Manhattan brick-and-mortar location, arriving later this year at 58 East 8th Street.
Founded in 2006 by Huadong Liu, Lao Ma was originally envisioned as a catering company that specialized in Mala Tang, which is a kind of spicy soup from Sichuan. Comparable to a hot pot, Mala Tang is spicier and flavored with a combination of Sichuan pepper and dried chili pepper called mala sauce. Based out of flushing, their spicy hot pots soon became very popular in the community, and soon Lao Ma was able to expand to over eight different locations in New York.
Huadong’s dream is to let the world share his favorite cuisine, and values altruism, integrity, and openness in every endeavor he pursues. As a successful franchise operation, Huadong ensures that all restaurants are united in their scope of vision and commitment to quality. No matter where you go, Huadong guarantees that you’ll find the same exact spicy mala tang wherever you are.
Mostly found in food stalls and malls in Queens, Lao Ma currently only operates one full brick-and-mortar location in Flushing. The new location will be their first in Manhattan and their second full brick-and-mortar overall. Having acquired a spacious new location with over 3,500 square feet of space, the new Lao Ma will be able to seat guests on the first floor as well as the basement and will serve a light selection of beer and wine. For further information about potential franchising opportunities, be sure to check out their website for more information.
