Ansan Mafia Malatang Review: Mala Xiang Guo and Guobaorou

I woke up wanting mala and decided to try mala xiang guo instead of my usual malatang. After choosing where to go, I visited Mafia Malatang, an Ansan malatang spot.

The restaurant is on Jungang-dong Rodeo Street, with good access and about five minutes from the station in my notes. Hours are listed as 11:00-03:00, making it possible as a late-night drinking snack too.

Clean tongs and bowls were prepared, and I liked the reminder to be careful with hair at the self-service bar.

Because I ordered mala xiang guo, they filled the bowl with vegetables and added plenty of mushrooms.

There were many tempting ingredients, including noodles, quail eggs and sausage. A major point was that meat did not require an added charge; it was weighed like the vegetables, so I added some.

Among the many malatang shops in Jungang-dong, Mafia Malatang stood out because meat and skewers had no extra charge. Malatang was listed at 1,900 won per 100g and mala xiang guo at 3,000 won per 100g.

Another appreciated detail: before weighing the bowl, the owner drained the water from the ingredients. I said this made me want to choose this place for malatang in Jungang-dong going forward.

Rice was unlimited, and various sauces were available for dipping mala xiang guo. The self-service bar was clean enough to feel reliable.

The seating area was wide, with plenty of seats and large windows that made the space feel open.

The mala xiang guo finally arrived. It was my first time trying it, and I found it much more intense and addictive than malatang.

The small guobaorou order had a crisp coating and a sweet, salty and tangy sauce. I felt guobaorou is an essential pairing with mala.

For mala xiang guo, I strongly recommend adding several kinds of noodles. They were stir-fried almost to a crisp, giving a chewy and crunchy texture.

The owner recommended eating it with rice, but I was so absorbed in the intense flavor that I finished the food before going to get rice.

The restaurant also offered ice cream as a dessert. I was too full to eat it, but appreciated that dessert was available. For Gojan-dong malatang, I recommend Mafia Malatang.

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