District Kitchen Malden

The District Kitchen in Malden opened in April in what for a short while housed a very mediocre Mexican restaurant. I was in Malden today for my seriously cheap haircut at New England Hair Academy, so I decided to stop by for lunch today. It turns out that they are a sister restaurant of All Seasons Table that is close by but with a different menu.

Nice looking exterior and a pleasant patio seating. Parking? There is no parking, but they validate at a couple of nearby parking garages.

The inside is sleek and modern and bright with excellent furniture. Of course they have an open kitchen.

The menu is really interesting with lots of Pan Asian offerings. I started with the Taiwanese Pork Belly Bun (5). "Shoyu braised pork belly complimented by sweet and spicy sour mustard, cilantro, roasted peanuts on a steamed bun". The pork belly was very tender and super tasty as was the mustard greens. The waiter called them pickled, and they might have been, regardless they were excellent. The bun was light and fluffy. A steal for $5.

Next was the Banh Mi (8). "Traditional Vietnamese sub consisting of grilled pork or chicken, mayo, cilantro, cucumbers, jalapenos, pickled carrots & daikon, dash of house savory sauce". Grilled pork, of course! The bread was correct and fresh, the very generous serving of pork was excellent, think about Vietnamese caramelized pork, and very tender. As you can see, it was pork with just a little of the veggies, and the jalapenos didn't make it. I must admit that I really enjoyed my lunch today. They also have lunch specials that are not on the website, and I'll be back to try them next. I found that the very upscale interior was not reflected in the prices, and that must be a first. My waiter was excellent, it really was service with a smile.
Update: after having my leftover sandwich, the jalapenos did make it.

Address 2 Florence Street, Malden, MA 02148
Phone number (781) 480-3113