Asia Cafe off Spicewood Springs

[shanksound]

Just recently went . . . amazing crispy duck and beef rice noodle soup.

Any recommendations for my next trip?

Thanks much.

[sambamaster]

without meaning to be a curmudgeon (again), use the search function on this board. Asia Cafe is one of the most discussed places on CH-Austin. Almost everything on the menu is described in one post or another. The only thing I can suggest is DON'T order dishes that can be found elsewhere like General what's his name's chicken, etc. Stick with the Sichuan dishes and you'll almost always be served an amazing meal. Now, get to searchin'! And enjoy it. AC is an amazing jewel and Austinites are lucky to have it...I now live in Portland OR where the Chinese food is pretty sad, generally speaking.

[Homero]

I was reading about a Thai restaurant in Portland called Pok Pok. If you get a chance Samba, I would love to know what you think of it.

[sambamaster]

they'll kick this off this thread if i do. i think. email me [e-mail]

but before they eject this....Pok Pok can be amazing and it can be mediocre, depending on the visit. They have some unusual dishes. They try hard to be authentic. but it's a super-hipster hang out and the waitstaff has a worse attitude than the employees at Waterloo Records, i.e., unbearable. And the prices are high for the portion size. I don't go as often as when it was a novelty for me. Not worth the effort. Oh, go at the wrong time and the wait is an hour or more. As long as we're at it, since they are trying a bit too hard to be authentic, I quickly tired of the waitstaff lecturing me and others in the restaurant about the food, especially when they think their transliterations from Thai to English are the only proper ones. I've seen many words transliterated 4 or more different ways depending on the person doing the translation. Pok Pok has not, as far as I know, been gifted from on high with the one, true way to transliterate. But don't tell them!!!!

[Homero]

Cool, thanks for the impression!

[mkwng]

Lots of suggestions here:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/480316

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/403599

[brattpowered]

Spicy fish, green beans, spicy beef, twice-cooked pork (not for everybody), sweet and sour fish, cumin beef, spicy lamb.

[foodiegal71]

Spicy fish filet, Zhong Dumplings, the green beans, these are just a few of my favorite things.