May-Thai Thai Bistro and Chinese Cuisine

Katherine and I went to May-Thai for lunch on this overcast summer day. The exterior of the restaurant isn't much to speak of. It looks like a little restaurant in a strip mall, and with all of the blinds closed, it looked like it might not even be open, except for the small neon Yuengling sign in the window.

The interior was painted in tasteful, bright colors and pleasant decorations were placed about the room. It was a cheery and clean dining area. The dining room felt fresh and modern. It was quiet and perfect for chatting, and we didn't feel rushed.



We were seated at a table in the first room and greeted by a very friendly and accommodating server. We both ordered water and placed our orders not long after that.

I ordered one of their lunch specials, the Pad Thai with Beef ($6.25), for which I chose a spicy level of 2 (out of 10), as I'm not really into a lot of spicy food. The entrée came with soup, so I selected the Vegetable Soup.



The Vegetable Soup had different vegetables floating in a clear broth, mostly broccoli, mushroom, little shavings of carrot and baby corn and some type of lettuce or cabbage. The soup was okay, and was served with thin crunchy noodles that could be added, which did improve the taste.



I had never had Pad Thai before, so I'm definitely not an expert, and don't have much to compare it against. I liked the meal and would definitely order it again. It didn't have a lot of flavor, but perhaps that is my own fault for not raising the level of spices in the dish when I ordered it. The noodles were somewhat chewy and the dish had a light, slightly sweet taste to the sauce. It looked like there was mostly bean sprouts, carrot, garlic chives and bits of egg in there with the beef and noodles. There were ground nuts on the top, which I assume to be peanuts. It was served with a lime wedge. After finishing the meal, my lips were tingling, so perhaps level 2 is all of the spice that I can handle at the present time. It was good and I look forward to comparing it with other Pad Thai experiences in the future.

Katherine ordered the Royal Noodles with chicken lunch special ($6.25), and selected the Egg Drop Soup. She commented that the Egg Drop Soup was just the way she likes it, with only egg, a thick broth, and spices. It was rich, golden, and velvety: perfect!



Katherine writes: "My royal noodles were spicy and filling. I ordered them with a 4 out of 10 spiciness, and that was just about right. The heat was balanced by a delightful sauce with just an edge of sweetness to it. The vegetables could have been just a touch more done, but they weren't so underdone as to be objectionable. There was plenty of meat with the noodles, too, so I felt like I definitely got my money's worth."

The complete lunch for the two of us, including tax and tip came to $15.31. On the whole, with the restful and friendly atmosphere, the delicious food, and the egg drop soup (which warrants its own separate category!), we will gladly eat here again and again.