Palm Beach just got a culinary upgrade with the opening of Malka, a kosher concept from famed Israeli chef Eyal Shani.
When the beloved Tel Avivian restaurant opened its first NYC outpost last year, “Both the kosher and non-kosher masses flocked to the destination to indulge in the restaurant’s legendary Malka schnitzel stuffed with mashed potatoes,” Time Out New York’s Anna Rahmanan wrote.
Now, South Floridians (some might call us residents of the sixth borough) can try out the schnitzel for themselves, along with a mix of Malka classics and several new dishes original to the West Palm Beach location. Though this isn’t the chef’s first venture in South Florida (Shani is also behind the flashy HaSalon in South Beach), Malka West Palm Beach marks the concept’s first U.S. outpost outside of NYC and the third outside of Tel Aviv.
What sets apart Malka West Palm Beach is the history of the space it occupies—formerly (and ironically) a butcher shop and factory. Located at 209 6th Street in an up-and-coming swath of West Palm Beach waterfront, the restaurant already housed an open-fire wood-burning kitchen as its central focal point when Shani moved in. It’s served as the inspiration behind much of Malka’s menu.
Mirroring the unique structure of the kitchen, the menu is divided into categories including Knife Works, Cast Iron Works and Fire Works. In collaboration with Malka’s culinary director Loel Müller, Shani has stepped away from his traditional format to debut new signatures that showcase these distinct kitchen elements. Standout dishes include the “Perfect pumpkin steak” charred on the hibachi grill, a “Whole fish roasted on a terrifying fire” and “Black Bean masabacha with a crown of vegetables,” among others.
“This approach to kosher cooking, centered around an open-fire kitchen, is something that has never existed in Jewish cuisine,” says Shani, who recently earned a Michelin star for his Greenwich Village eatery, SHMONÉ. “It will be both my greatest challenge and my greatest strength.”
Beyond the open-fire kitchen, the dining room has been transformed to embody modern Israeli design, drawing inspiration from traditional materials and architectural details. The Jerusalem stone-like marble, Corten metal elements and a wall made with 24,000 perforated concrete blocks were all sourced directly from Israel. Outside, the historic building’s original exterior has been preserved, while the interior, breezeway and garden have been filled with lush greenery and Mediterranean olive trees.
For Miami residents, Malka offers the latest culinary excuse to trek north to Palm Beach’s calmer, manicured pastures. The restaurant is open for dinner Sunday through Wednesday from 5 to 10:30pm and Thursdays from 5 to 11pm. For more information, visit www.malka-usa.com.
