04/05/08

a perfect "Dinner for Two" place

by BeenThereAndDoneThat

Its hard to single out a "Best" feature of this place. Friendly staff, attentive management, delicious food and all under the roof of this quaint Virginia Highland treat. I especially like the mix of outdoor and indoor space when temperatures permit.

03/28/08

One of the best Thai food restaurant in Atlanta area

by skim301

I recently just moved to Great Atlanta area and was trying to expand my list of place to go and thing s to do in the new environment. I am a big fan of Asian food and one of my coworker recommend this Thai restaurant in virginia Highland area (which is a great place to hangout during the weekend). Mali restaurant is a bit of a pleasant surprise for me since it locates just a few mile from Surin (another great place). I really enjoy the food here as they also feature sushi as well. The service was great for the most part. The best part of the restaurant is the Patio that me and my friends really enjoy. It is now on the list of my favorite restuarant in town.

• Pros: Great Thai food, Reasonable price
• Cons: If there is a nice bar or place tohangout after the meas would be perfect

03/18/08

Horrible experience

by bejcunni

This is a copy of the letter I send to the manager (although I had to edit out certain words, but be assured when I reference "insect", I am refering to kind you don't want to see in a restaurant) . Please read this before dinning here.

Dear Mali Restaurant

I dined at your restaurant last night and was appalled at what took place. While my girlfriend and I were eating, a large insect crawled up the wall adjacent to our table. This isn?t really the thing you want to see while trying to dine. My girlfriend jumped out of her seat to avoid being ?buzzed? by the creature. Our waitress made an attempt to exterminate the insect but proved unsuccessful after she was so disgusted by the insect, dropped it out of a towel and let it run back into the floorboards. My girlfriend and I indicated we would like the check and, although the waitress asked, a box for the majority of our diner wouldn?t be necessary. The waitress and the manager both quietly whispered an awkward ?sorry? as they handed us the bill.

The uninvited guest had clearly upset us and certainly evaporated all that remained our appetite, and all that was offered to us was a ?sorry?. We didn?t even finish our meal, and quite frankly after seeing that, who could. But instead of offering us a discount or a free meal in hopes of keeping the customer happy, the check was just placed on our table. If I had angered a customer like this at my job, I would have been fired on the spot. Apparently, your establishment thinks just saying ?sorry? is sufficient and that an apology that included phrases like ?we value your business?, ?this has never happened before?, ?our sincerest apologies? is unnecessary.

I wanted you to know that the ?sorry? that was offered wasn?t good enough, and I am offended that I was charged full price for a meal that was barely touched because of the pest control problem you have in the restaurant.

I just wanted to recount my last time dinning in your restaurant for you.

10/01/07

Best Thai in the Highlands

by stephie2cool

Way better than Surin and Harry and Sons. They have a fabulous porch to sit and enjoy the nice fall weather we are having right now. I have been here numerous times and never had a bad meal. I had the lightly battered and fried soft shell crab with asparagus, peppers, and mushrooms in a hot chile sauce. It was fabulous. The flavors were perfect with some fresh basil thrown in- yummy. We also had a sushi roll with unagi- very good but the crunchy tuna roll and firecracker roll I have had in the past are better. Their Coconut soup is faboulous as is their Pad Thai. The prices are a bit steeper than other Thai restaurants but the food is worth it. I love this restaurant and am not sure why people pack out Surin and Harrys. Guess it's better for us who can go to the less full Mali.

• Pros: Great food, Great Porch, Fast Attentive Service

06/26/07

Upscale dining, relaxed atmostphere. Perfect Summer Spot

by cnaaman

I was in Atlanta for work, craving the South Asian cuisine that can be hard to come by in my area and decided to try Mali. Everything that I had read about the restaurant was spot on. The Thai food is incredible, and I was particularly impressed with the complex spicy and sweet flavors of the Masaman curry. The Larb, a dish that very few restaurants can get right, was perfect, with the right texture and blend of spice and lime flavors. The food was so good that I decided to try the sushi as well as was equally impressed, particularly with the Crispy Tuna roll, which was both fresh and delicately prepared. To top it off, the entire meal, including 2 glasses of wine, cost about $10 -15 less than I would have expected to pay.

I also agree with the reviews that suggest that the atmosphere does not match the food. While I enjoy a low-key atmosphere, the decor is more "friendly neighborhood" than the modern chic that that I think they are trying for. That said, the outdoor patio in the summer can't be beat. At the end of my meal, I had a glass of wine at the bar which is worthwhile since the friendly owner decided to chat me up, which was a fun way to cap off the night.

• Pros: Food, Food, Food - Amazing Thai and Sushi
• Cons: Atmosphere not as upscale as food

03/27/07

Yin & Yang! Small & Romantic! Pleasant Warm Weather Patio!

by jaymaygm

Last night, Sunday Night, was one of those early warm Spring evenings. We wanted Thai, and over to the Highlands, our visit to Mali was just perfect. Not overly crowded, but the outdoor patio, was small, romantic, and just the right amount of candlelight. They have a very nice, well-rounded menu, including Sushi. Somehow, the Sushi, just didn't fit into our Thai palette. We immed. ordered the Yin & Yang app, which was heavenly crispy Wontons, filled with Ricotta Cheese, w/ a tangy Sweet and Sour dipping sauce. Although it was warm outside, we could not resist splitting the Spicy Seafood Soup, w/Shrimp, Scallops, Grouper and Lemon Grass. We ordered it Thai hot, and that it was. Service is very friendly, since this is a family owned establishment. I had to have the Grilled Long Island Duck w/Thai Red Curry, Bamboo Shoots, and Basil. Excellent. My companion had the Soft Shell Crab, battered and fried, and served with a hot chile sauce and asparagus. The whole experience was excellent, and priced reasonalbly, compared to high-end Thai establishments, that serve the same quality food. We will be back on a Sunday night again!

• Pros: Excellent, Creative Thai Menu! Personable Family Service!
• Cons: Parking Can Be Tight!

02/01/07

Awesome food!

by Shal416

Probably my favorite restaurant in Atlanta, and it's the perfect place for date. It's situated in the beautiful, relaxed Virginia-Highlands area, yet the inside of the restaurant is beautiful, dimly lit, and very romantic. The food is INCREDIBLE and they are all reasonably priced. Enjoy a glass of wine with your meal and it's the perfect evening!

10/03/06

ask for the Tuna Tartare

by juliehaygood

I'm a huge MF fan but I tried Mali after seeing them on the "best of" list and WOW.. they were right. The Sushi here is really good. My friend and I asked for tuna tartare ( it's not on the menu) and it was fabulous. All the rolls we've tried there were incredible, as well. We haven't tried the Thai yet but it smelled and looked delicious. Also, be sure to try the icecream dessert.

We got the raspberry ice cream covered in white chocolate. Amazing. My friend tried the capachino ice cream covered in chocolate.. she said it was amazing, as well. We'll definitely be going back. It's also a good bit cheaper than MF.

• Pros: Sushi, dessert

09/26/06

Very Romantic

by pinkyd40

My boyfriend and I went there on our anniversary and it was just perfect. The atmosphere, the food, and the lighting. I had the best experiance and the food was yummy!

• Pros: Romantic

08/09/06

Best Curry of My LIFE!

by louisianadawg

I LOVE this restaurant!! I love curry, and I have NEVER had better curry than what I had at Mali. The basil rolls and tempura vegetable appetizers were amazing too. I didn't try the sushi, but it looked incredible on everyone else's plate! Best part: It's cheap!! We had 2 appetizers and 2 entres for about $35 total!! and I had enough leftovers for 2 more meals!

The atmosphere and service are also incredible. It's very elegant, but jeans and a t-shirt are more than acceptable attire. This is my kinda place!