Asian Food News

Asian restaurant in Carrollton imports new malatang trend to Dallas

Tanghuo Kungfu Malatang serves three dishes: malatang, stirfry hot pot, and pork.

Tanghuo

An Asian restaurant has opened in Carrollton, bringing a fresh new trend: Called Tanghuo Kungfu Malatang, it's the first location in Texas of a chain from Korea named for malatang, a popular street food from China.

The restaurant is open at 2701 Old Denton Rd. #164 in a center just north of the Bush Turnpike, where it's specializing in mala tang, a dish originally from China that is similar to hot pot, with ingredients cooked to order in a broth.

Both hot pot and mala tang consist of a broth in which ingredients are cooked quickly.

However, in hot pot, ingredients are brought by servers to your table, for you to share with your party. At malatang shops, it's self-serve, with customers selecting fresh ingredients that are displayed on shelves — almost like a supermarket — which they pile into a bowl and take to the counter to be cooked for them in a spicy broth.

That communal experience of choosing your own raw ingredients, very hunter-and-gatherer, as well as the freshness it implies, is what makes it unique.

At Tanghuo Kungfu Malatang, you choose your own ingredients.Tanghuo

At Tanghuo, the menu has only three items and everything is charged by the pound:

Mala Tang is a spicy hot mala soup, cooked in a broth, and is $15 per pound.
Mala Xiang Guo is a spicy stir fry (which they call hot pot) and is $19/pound.
Gua Bao Rou is sweet and sour fried pork: Pork tenderloin served with a tangy sweet sauce, $19 for 8 pieces and $27 for 14 pieces.

Ingredients include seafood, beef, noodles, mushrooms, bok choy, fish balls, tofu, squash, Napa cabbage, all cut into sizes that will cook for the same length of time.

While $15 to $19 per pound may not sound "cheap," they push the affordability aspect, including the fact that the self-serve approach means it's "no tipping."

The Carrollton location of Tanghuo Kungfu Malatang is from Yoon Mun, a native of Daegu, South Korea who has been in Dallas for 13 years, working in tech operations. He discovered the unique concept on a trip to Asia and was shocked to discover it had not arrived in the U.S.

“I want to make malatang a trend here in the U.S., just like pho and ramen is," he says. "It is a trend right now everywhere as it provides an affordable, personal and enjoyable culinary experience. It is all fresh ingredients, great quality, and we try to make it affordable."

openings

Closing News

Longtime Dallas restaurant Sevy's Grill to close after nearly 30 years

Photo courtesy of Sevy's Grill

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A longtime Dallas restaurant is closing in 2026: Sevy's Grill, which has been open at 8201 Preston Rd. near Preston Center for nearly 30 years, will close on June 27, 2026.

According to a release from the owners, they're closing due to what appears to be an increase in rent.

"After months of negotiations, we were not able to come to a mutually beneficial agreement for our fourth 10-year lease," the post said.

The restaurant is located in Preston Sherry Plaza, which was acquired in September 2025 by Austin-based Endeavor Real Estate. Somebody gotta foot the bill.

Sevy's says they are looking at other locations.

"Our focus now is to finish these next 6+ months taking care of our guests and staff at the same caring level we built our brand on: Warm, professional service, consistently good food and a comfortable ambiance where the guest is always first," the post says. "First on our list of priorities is taking care of our guests in December and all the wonderful celebrations of family, friends and business groups. We do still have some availability for reservations, including our last New Years Eve at Preston Sherry. Come celebrate with us as the exciting anticipation of a new year for all of us."

"Our second priority will be the search for a new location to continue doing what we love," they said. "We are already reviewing possible sites and will keep everyone updated regularly."

Owned by chef Jim "Sevy" Severson and his wife Amy Severson, the restaurant has long been a neighborhood favorite with a lively bar scene, and was nominated in CultureMap's 2018 Tastemaker Awards for Best Neighborhood Restaurant. They were a frequent choice for winemaker events and are also known for the longevity of their staff.

"Eight team members have been with us all 29+ years, with an average tenure in the kitchen of 15+ years and a Management team that you all know," their post said. "Come support our staff as we celebrate the next 6+ months.Thank you again for your support through all the normal challenges of running a restaurant as well as economic downturns, market bubbles, Y2K, and of course the COVID era. As I tell my family and friends to “enjoy the ride in life”, wow, what an amazing ride it has been for us! And as always, Sevy’s Grill is here for you."