Last night was a cooler and rainy evening, but we were in the mood to try something new. There was lots of fog, so we didn't want to go too far. Fortunately, Mike and Yelp reminded us that there was a Chinese place close to us that we hadn't tried yet. Sichuan Bistro was close to home and had excellent reviews, so we decided to give them a chance. It was a small restaurant with a few tables, but it was mostly full, which I took as a good sign. We were seated in a booth and took a few minutes to browse the menu. Ultimately, I selected orange chicken and Mike picked braised beef. We also ordered some steamed pork buns. We had a little bit of a wait for our food and then the large quantities began to arrive. After seeing our food, we definitely could have split a dish along with a few appetizers. We will have to remember this tip for next time. My orange chicken was so yummy. Mike felt it rivaled PF Changs in the level of goodness. It had just the right amount of spice and sweetness from the orange peel and peppers. It was served with a white sticky rice that was good, too.

Mike's braised beef was the house specialty, so he had high expectations. When it arrived, it smelled and looked delicious. It was also served with sticky rice. The beef had great flavor, but was a little bit fatty for our taste. It also was served with what we believe was marrow, which is not really our thing. It was a good dish to try, but I am guessing that Mike will try something different next time.

Finally, our steamed pork buns arrived after our main course, which seemed a bit odd. However, they were worth the wait. They tasted like warm, soft biscuits with a well seasoned pork meatball in the center. We did a pretty good job on the food, but there were definitely leftovers. I am happy to report that the orange chicken was just as fabulous the second time. The staff was all very sweet and attentive contributing to the inviting atmosphere. This was a great choice for a rainy, foggy Saturday and with a menu full of enticing items, we look forward to our next visit.

The New Austonian