May Asian Cuisine — Restaurant in Alaska

Great dining experience checklist:

Local 'Hidden Gem' Regional or Specialty Cuisine Unique offerings Great backstory Great food Great service Unique ambiance Off the beaten path

Well, I stumbled across a place that checked all these boxes, and then some!

May Asian Cuisine in Palmer, Alaska...

Happened to be driving by the RV Park and saw the sign for the May Asian Restaurant. Yes, let that sink in a minute. RV park in rural Alaska with an Asian restaurant. I'm in!

It was a great little spot...overlooking the lake with mountains in the distance. Located behind the park office, it's a cozy little place. Clean setting, with local artists paintings for sale adorning the walls.

I knew I was in for a treat when the menu came out, and it was printed on copy paper (albeit in a nice menu holder).

They serve Hmong, Chinese and Pho dishes of various types. So Hmong pot stickers was chosen for the appetizer. I was tempted by the Orange Chicken, but "Alaskan Fried Rice" seemed interesting.

The pot stickers were fantastic, lightly fried and filled with chicken, onion and other goodies. The dipping sauces were amazing as well.

But the fried rice...

Alaskan fried rice is a twist on typical fried rice (there's a special ingredient I can't disclose, but MAKES the dish), with chicken and vegetables and fried to golden perfection. Seriously. Definitely in the Top Three Fried Rice Dinners I have ever had (and that includes hundreds throughout Asia).

The portion size was very generous, easily enough for two meals, but I had to finish it all, it was that good.

They also have a nice selection on boba teas, so Taro Boba was the drink of choice, and it too was fantastic.

So, if you ever find yourself in the Anchorage area, looking for great Asian food, make the short drive up to Palmer, and stop by May Asian Restaurant at the RV Park! Be sure and talk with John if he's not to busy...he's a great chef and has a...

I love May Asian Cuisine! I'm there almost every week. Haha. My favorite is the pork belly special, but everything I've tried so far have been really good! I also think it's great that they have later hours, offer delivery without exorbitant fees, a cute little play area for the kiddos, AND a free meal on your birthday.

Chef John is such a passionate cook and business owner. He understands that we all work hard for our money, so he always strives to give the best flavors and value. He always says, "This is YOUR restaurant. I'm here to cook for you guys!"

May Asian Cuisine is not a place where you can expect a quick meal and parking at the Fox Run Campground area is tight, but it's a small family business within a small structure. I do really hope they can expand one day because they deserve it!

Until then... if the parking situation and wait times are big deal breakers for you, please consider ordering way ahead of time and taking it to go for a lovely meal at home. You won't be...

I'm so glad I found this place. I was totally blown away with how delicious the food is here. It's probably the best Thai tea I've ever had, and the Pad Thai was super good. The fried rice was very flavorful, and the General Taos chicken was spicy and tangy. The crab Rangoon was crunchy and piping hot. Service was warm and welcoming, and right as I was about to ask for more ice water, our waitress appeared with a pitcher.

All the food came out hot and fresh, and they had a good assortment of sauces, though we didn't need any. I was even surprised at the care of the plating and presentation for such an out-of-the-way spot, but it was very pleasing. Initially, I thought the food was a bit overpriced, but once I completed my dinner, I paid without any regrets.

It's kind of an odd location for an Asian restaurant, but you don't want to miss this place, well...