Even though Valentine’s Day is on the horizon, you do not have to have a partner to take yourself out on a date.

With the amount of good cuisine in and around Pullman, there are plenty of places that you can fill up at. Yet one spot stands out in particular as one of the best, most tantalizingly tasty restaurants that you would be doing a disservice to if you do not visit.

So grab yourself, a friend or your partner and make your way down to Malō Cuisine for its Hawaiian food.

But wait, I hear your disembodied voice say, you have already reported on Malō Cuisine before. I can always rely on you all to keep me accountable, but I figured I would dive into Malō once more since they recently moved locations, and I cannot get enough of their menu. I am certainly not complaining about the opportunity to crack open this spot again.

Though Malō was originally located in the Timber building, it has since moved locations to Moscow. Located on Second Street, Malō is in the same building courtyard as Slice Taphouse. Not a terrible drive for Pullman folks, especially if you are looking to impress your Valentine.

Unfortunately, the parking situation is not the greatest, but do not let that stop you from going; you might just need to practice your parallel parking skills if it is busy in downtown Moscow. Thankfully, Moscow is a great city to walk through, so take the opportunity to do so for your modular Valentine’s Day date.

The service at Malō Cuisine is always amazing and helpful. If you do not know what exactly you or your date are craving, the staff will be willing to guide you through the menu and provide some great recommendations.

The seating is somewhat limited, but Malō Cuisine’s meals are perfect to take home with you instead for a bit of a night in.

With logistics out of the way, let’s dive into the menu.

While the menu is not huge, it is the classic story of quality over quantity. There are a few options for chicken, pork, beef and delicious sides. But after one bite, you will understand that the choices aren’t the problem: not getting a whole other entrée is.

I can, without shame, say that I have tried absolutely everything on the menu, so I consider myself a bit of an expert on it. I could fill entire books with my love of the Kalbi Beef Short Ribs or the Kalua Pig, but we are going to focus on the Mochiko Chicken.

For those ordering off of the website for pickup or delivery, Mochiko is described as breaded chicken served with rice and a choice of side. It’s a fan favorite. The website is not lying, and I can clearly see why; I have quickly joined the ranks of the Mochiko’s followers.

The food came out quickly and was well presented, though I could hardly pay attention to that as I immediately wanted to dive right in. It was at that moment that I wanted our newspaper to start having scratch-and-sniff stickers because the Mochiko Chicken smelled immaculate.

But I am not in the business of smells; I am in the business of taste.

Oh my l’anta. Forget scratch and sniff stickers, forget Valentine’s Day; you need to go to Malō Cuisine immediately and get some of this chicken.

This chicken is perfectly breaded but still manages to be flavorful and juicy with each and every bite. I was searching through the rice and toppings like a gold miner panning for gold.

And the sauce on the chicken? Oh dang, it can only get better from here.

Normally, online menus are full of exaggeration and fancy words, and it would be a shame if Malō Cuisine’s was the same.

The Malō train has no stops, as you will not be eating the sides just to fill up. No matter what you order, you will be wanting more off of your date’s tray. I was certainly eyeing my friend’s serving after I devoured mine.

The hours of the restaurant are 11 a.m.–9 p.m. every day with the exception of Sunday, on which they are open from 12-6 p.m.

Thankfully, Valentine’s Day is on a Tuesday, so you have plenty of time to decide which lucky individual you are bringing with you to get some good grub.

Malō Cuisine is a restaurant that I find myself going to whenever I am in Moscow, even if it is out of the way of where I am going. That is the most telling sign of a good restaurant and is even better than a good first impression. Try out some of their food, and you will be coming back too.

If you know of some food spots that I have not tried yet that you are just dying to brag about to your friends, let me know by emailing [email protected].