A new wave of flavors from Thailand has arrived in Crystal Lake after the beloved Chinese restaurant New Peking closed following over two decades of business.

May Thai Kitchen, located at 40 W. Terra Cotta Ave., Suite G, took over the former New Peking location and officially opened in recent days.

New Peking permanently closed in March following the owners’ decision to retire after serving the community for almost 23 years, May Thai Kitchen employee Nattaya Novak said.

“After 22 amazing years, it’s time for us to pass the wok to the next generation,” New Peking owners wrote in a Facebook post in March. “New Peking hasn’t just been a restaurant – it’s been a place where families grew up, kids celebrated birthdays, and the Peking duck, our hand-folded egg rolls & General Tso’s chicken became a part of your weekly routines. We are so grateful for every shared meal and every memory made here.”

May Thai Kitchen owner and chef Anucha Namta kept some of New Peking’s staple dishes on the menu, like orange chicken, Mongolian beef and lo mein.

After working in kitchens in Washington and Virginia for almost 20 years, the family decided to move back to their home in Illinois and open their own restaurant. The menu is specially crafted from generations of recipes passed down from Namta’s family on the Koh Samui island of Thailand.

Namta makes all of the curry pastes from scratch using fresh ingredients like lemongrass, basil and green chili. Novak said she wants the restaurant to bring the authentic flavors of Thai food to Crystal Lake.

“Everything is house-made here,” she said.

Some standout menu items are the Thai basil pork belly, crispy pork belly stir-fried with fresh Thai basil, garlic and chili, and the khao soi noodles, which have slow-braised chicken and egg noodles in a signature curry broth, topped with crispy egg noodles and served with pickled mustard greens, scallions, cilantro, fresh and fried shallots and lime.

May Thai Kitchen provides dine-in and take-out options. There is also a private dining space customers can rent for special occasions and large parties.

People also will be able to “experience Thai culture through food in a hands-on setting” with Thai dessert-making classes. Namta plans to host the cooking classes on Sunday afternoons by request.

“Our long-term goal is to become an active part of the Crystal Lake community by supporting local youth, participating in community events and creating a welcoming place where people can gather and enjoy authentic Thai cuisine,” Namta said.

Visit the May Thai Kitchen website at maythaikitchencl.com for more information.