663137 Wed Oct 28 16:48:33 -0700 2009 4 61 Austin 0 5138740 Hello Everyone, I recently moved back to Austin after 7 years in the California Bay Area. Wow, was I spoiled by the great Asian food there. I have looked through old posts and have good ideas where to go for tasty dim sung and xiaolongbao. What I did not see is whether there is a good place in town for spicy Sichuan food. In particular, I am looking for outstanding Ma Pa Tofu?(Spicy Tofu with Pork) and Ganbian Sijidou (Dry Sichuan Green Beans). Any help would be most appreciated! Thanks or more appropriately, Xiexie! Wed Oct 28 16:48:34 -0700 2009 1119988 matt5115 1 5138890 Asia Cafe! At 183 & Spicewood, in NW Austin. Can't speak to its authenticity but their Ma Po Tofu is one of my 5 favorite dishes in town, Their website is here - http://asiamarketaustin.com/ For plenty of reviews, see: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/650676 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/480316 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/403599 Wed Oct 28 17:45:15 -0700 2009 5138740 1101448 brentwood 1 5140095 Brentwood is correct. For spicy and authentic Sichuan, Asia Cafe is a good place to go. While you are there, try their Spicy Fish (fried fish fillets in a strong spicy sauce, more like a stew) or Spicy Seafood (same deal, with a bunch of different seafood). It's part of a Chinese grocery store so don't expect great ambiance, but the food is good. Thu Oct 29 08:40:33 -0700 2009 5138740 1119327 spock 2 5140293 Actually, Spock, the took over the place to the right of the market. It's a full-on restaurant now! Thu Oct 29 09:39:36 -0700 2009 5140095 17648 rudeboy 1 5140300 I'll echo the Asia Cafe recommendation. I was the original poster over three years ago, and the posts keep on coming. I've eaten many times at what once was the best Sichuan in the BA, China Village in Albany (yes, in Albany) and Asia Cafe gets close on some dishes, misses on others, and doesn't have quite the level of execution China Village used to have (the chef has changed 2-3 times since the peak in 2004-2005), but Asia Cafe is at least a great substitute and, until I moved away from Austin (again), it was worth at least one weekly visit, and I often was there 4-5 times a week, sometimes twice in one day!!!! Work through the menu. Avoid the obvious nods to non-Chinese clientele, and stay with the Sichuan standards, and you'll eat quite well. It's addictive. And mail me some water boiled beef (they call it spicy beef, it's the beef equivalent of the spicy fish referenced in another post). Thu Oct 29 09:40:51 -0700 2009 5138740 25989 sambamaster