Mian & Bao - Review - The Triangle - Austin - The Infatuation
"Mian & Bao is a smaller outpost of Los Angeles' legendary Chengdu Taste. Austin’s menu isn’t as extensive as its California counterpart’s, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in spice and punch. photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel The dining room at this Chinese restaurant in The Triangle is small and cozy, thanks in large part to a bunch of French bistro tables crammed together under long rows of hanging paper lanterns that cast a warm glow. Ordering takes place on your phone, and within the span of about two minutes, plates start zipping out from the kitchen. Dumplings and noodles are the centerpieces here—and they’re evenly matched—but don’t let that push you away from bowls of steamed eggs with ground pork, savory beef pancake rolls, or a dozen other small plates worth trying. Start with wontons swimming in fiery chili oil, get an order of soup dumplings, then load up on as many Sichuanese noodle specialties as you can fit on the table. Food Rundown photo credit: Richard Casteel Steamed Egg with Ground Pork Is this the best $3 you can spend in Austin? Until inflation catches up, we’re going with yes. The egg is soft and flan-like, and the ground pork swimming in chili oil gives each bite a savory punch. photo credit: Richard Casteel Chili Oil Wonton The wonton skins have just enough bite, and the green onions add a fresh kick to each piece. Get an order of these for the table. photo credit: Richard Casteel Chengdu Cold Noodle This cold noodle dish is one of our favorite things here. It’s heavy on the mouth-numbing Sichuan peppercorn, which makes each bite more fun than the last. And it’s entirely vegan. photo credit: Richard Casteel Spicy Beef Noodle On the rare cold Austin afternoon, spicy beef noodle soup is one of the most satisfying meals you can find. Mian & Bao’s broth and noodles are excellent, but the beef can be a little tough. photo credit: Richard Casteel Xiao Long Bao The broth that fills these soup dumplings is a little sweeter than other spots in town, but it’s no less satisfying. They’re served with vinegar and fresh ginger that helps balance out the sweetness." - Nicolai McCrary
