WELCOME HOME. That’s how it feels when walking into Mai House Asian Cuisine for the first time. I was promptly greeted by some of the nicest staff I’ve ever met in the restaurant industry, which makes for a great experience. This was my first time visiting Mai House, and I’ll be the first to admit I’ve been missing out.
I ordered one of my favorite dishes, general toa’s chicken. I was also offered the choice of soup or salad and opted to try the soup. To my surprise, it wasn’t your average watered-down miso or mushroom soup. It was called “hot and sour egg drop soup,” which was another first for me. With eggy goodness throughout and big pieces of crab meat, the soup was packed with flavor.
The main dish arrived in a quick manner and the proportion was massive. Visually, I could tell this general toa’s chicken was unlike any I’ve had before. The chicken was fried perfectly and kept its crispy texture while coated in the house-made general toa sauce and topped with cashew peanuts.The taste was phenomenal, breaking away from other Asian restaurants and creating their own unique dish. The crunch and flavor the cashews added to the dish was a new experience for me as well, and I found myself adding cashews to every bite. I also tried the sweet and sour chicken and was blown away by the flavor. It was new and different, unlike any sweet and sour sauce I’ve ever had.
I thought Mai House would be similar to other Asian restaurants, but I’ve been proven wrong. They’ve broken free from the typical, all while creating their own flavors that pack a punch. This is a refreshing and new way to enjoy Asian cuisine here in Shelbyville and I urge everyone to give them a try like I did. -GN
