Mamak, the popular Asian Street Food restaurant in the Mills 50 district, will open a location near UCF in either December or early January. The restaurant will take over a space in the University Shoppes that had been a Pei Wei Asian Diner.

The new Mamak will operate mainly as a quick serve restaurant, with customers ordering at the counter and food delivered to tables when ready, according to someone at the downtown Mamak who described the experience as similar to Domu Chibi in Waterford Lakes.

Mamak, which opened almost five years ago, is often compared to Hawkers in that both offer dishes typically sold on the streets throughout Asia. When Mamak first opened, it became a hit, with locals immediately choosing sides between the two brands.

The locally owned Hawkers, of course, has grown into a multi-state chain. Perhaps this second location is an early sign of bigger things for Mamak.