Plano Magazine
Dec 29, 2025
Brya Zan Thai Noodle + Brew was born out of the desire for Malai Kitchen owners to create a more casual version of their DFW concept.
Rice flour, tapioca starch and salt are whisked together. Water is gradually added in. A little bit of oil. The mixture is steamed in ¼ cup intervals in a wok. Everyone has their own measurements and techniques, but it’s universally agreed upon that preparing rice noodles is a delicate process.
Yet, fast casual Thai eatery Brya Zan Thai Noodle & Brew makes all its noodles from scratch, following in the footsteps of their primary restaurant, Malai Kitchen, whose menu and restaurant inspired its owners to create Brya Zan. Owners Braden and Yasmin Wages spent over a year perfecting the recipe (even traveling to Vietnam to refine it).
And the Southeast Asian inspiration isn’t a theme or aesthetic — the region plays a central part in the Wages’ lives. They travel there regularly, even now with children.
“Thailand blew my mind,” Braden says. “The culture, the food, everything. I tell everyone to go. It’s the best place to visit.”
In fact, after three years with the company, the Wages send their employees on an expenses-paid trip to Thailand or Vietnam.
“When they come back and say, ‘Wow, the pad thai really does taste like Thailand,’ that’s the best compliment,” Yasmin says.
“Rice noodles are way harder to make than Italian pasta because there’s no gluten,” Braden says. “No one else in Dallas makes their own fresh rice noodles. It’s a labor of love.”
Noodle dishes are the star of the menu, including pad thai, glass noodles (pad woo sen), broccoli noodles (pad see ew), tiger noodles and fan-favorite drunken noodles (pad kee mow).
“[Drunken noodles are] just a great introduction,” Braden says. “The wok hei, the handmade noodles, the basil we get directly from a farm in Hawaii … it really represents what we do.”
The menu brings in some of Malai Kitchen’s favorites — noodles, curries, stir-fry, fried rice, salads and desserts.
“We haven’t sacrificed quality,” Braden says. “Everything is the same as what we serve at Malai. The only real difference is portion size and switching from beef tenderloin to sirloin, because we can’t serve tenderloin at an $11 price point.”
West Plano is a fast-moving area, and the Wageses chose it deliberately.
“People are busy,” Yasmin says. “Your options are usually burgers, chicken sandwiches, and tacos. We want people to know they can still have a healthy, fresh, well-rounded meal that fits into a tight schedule.”
For adults, the fast casual speed is met with a full bar, featuring cocktails, wine and a selection of beer brewed at the Malai brewery in Southlake.
“We have a great bar program: fun cocktails, great wine and beers you can’t get anywhere else,” Braden says. “The Pilsner we brew is similar to what you’d drink in Thailand, like Singha or Tiger, but fresh and made nearby.”
The Wages’ intentionality carries over into each part of the restaurant. Even the takeout containers were carefully selected with sustainability in mind.
“We hated the idea of food sitting in soggy cardboard,” Braden says. “So we found these new sugarcane-fiber bowls lined with a plant-fiber plastic. They don’t leak, they don’t disintegrate, and they’re compostable.”
Already, the dining room has become a spot for post-work catch-ups, long lunches and quiet moments with a newspaper at the bar, they say.
“Come get to know us,” Yasmin says. “Our team is awesome. We’ve priced ourselves so people can come once a week, a couple times a month. When you don’t have time to use your kitchen, use ours.”
Brya Zan Thai Noodle & Brew, 1909 Preston Road, 469.498.4099
URL: https://planomagazine.com/brya-zan-thai-noodle-brew-plano/