Maloya

“A warm welcoming place offering French Creole cuisine from Reunion island. A compact menu offering very reasonably priced apps and mains, and a lot of lentil and rice. Ordered the sampler though a few items we wanted were out. Tender coconut shrimp and beef Bourguignon entrees were excellent. We were well taken care of by the staff.”

“Maloya delivered a delicious and thoughtfully executed menu that showcased French Créole cuisine. We started with the Assiette Créole sampler, enjoying perfectly crispy samoussas, creamy boulettes, and a tiny pot of tangy sarcives. For the mains we shared the rougail saucisses, homemade sausage medallions in a rich gravy, and the espadon massalé, which was one of the best pieces of swordfish I’d ever had. With the mains come fluffy rice, a pot of lentils, and another stew of beans. Overall the food was super high quality and we sampled a couple drinks that paired very well too. I’d add that it seemed the restaurant seemed short staffed, and it was cold, we had to keep our layers on. It seems like someone should give the plant decor some attention too.”

“The tuna samousas were pretty good but they were smaller than expected like cocktail size. The rougail sauciesse with rice and lentils were delicious, and I'm surprised they served silverware out of a vintage-looking can. The inside of the restaurant felt a bit cozy, and sauce to meatball ratio was pretty good. I wish the portions were larger though especially for the appetizers. Overall, it's a nice addition since finding Reunion food in the US is pretty rare.”

“Everything was solid and reasonably priced! Definitely among the more unique restaurants in the neighborhood. The flavors and vibes were cozy, hearty, and comforting. Particularly well suited for a NYC winter. Standouts were the salted cod balls and unexpectedly the lima beans! I took a star off because even with the rather limited menu, three of the dishes we wanted (an app, main, and dessert) were not available for whatever reasons. Given that there were only two other customers at the time and we went only an hour after opening, to me, this speaks to some mismanagement. I don’t know if this is usual or not but would be willing to give this place another try.”

“Maloya was my chosen spot for a birthday gathering for me and my party of 8. We called in advance for a reservation with no trouble and got seated right away once we arrived. The interior of the restaurant transports you to Reunion Island, away from the hustle and bustle of NYC! The walls are adorned with landscapes of islands and mountains that you can find in the vicinity of said island which added to its calm and soothing ambiance. Service-wise, the restaurant seemed a little understaffed as it took about 20-30mins to get our orders taken, with waters following soon after. We ordered drinks first and then food, a bit worried that our large order would be taking some time. However, we were pleasantly surprised to have our food and drink served not too long after placing our order. Unfortunately they were out of the pork belly and the stewed beef dish. The appetizers and entrees were all delicious! We got one of each appetizer, the shrimp, swordfish, sausage, and lamb leg entrees. The swordfish was nothing short of fantastic, with great flavor and savoriness. The sausage and shrimp were tasty as well, with the sausage having a mild yet deep flavor. The lamb leg sauce was yummy as well, but the meat proved to be a little tough and overcooked. Appetizers were delightful as well holding perfect crisp and crunch. A small note is that the entrees could have been a bit hotter, as they were near cool when they arrived at our table. Overall, while my party and I enjoyed the food and atmosphere, I think this place is more suited for small parties as the portions are not exactly family style. I recommend this as a good date night spot or even a quick stop in for some nice cocktails!”