Beef stew like your mom made (if your mom's Asian!) at Southeast Asia Restaurant...it's good stuff! I've tried it twice, once with rice stick noodle (Special Asian Style #6) and once with rice (just asked for it); it was a little different each time: the first time, there was a little greenery (cucumber, etc.), the second time, there were onions and black mushrooms (mmmm... :-). Both times, there was good, thick chunks of beef and rich gravy with anise and other spices. They have many other good, simple dishes, some Chinese, some Vietnamese, and some Thai. There are a few things that you don't often see: real wonton noodle soup (i.e. with full-sized meat-filled dumplings)*, ginseng beef tail soup, 12 vegetarian dishes (none of them titled Buddha's Delight), and alligator prepared two different ways. They're at 8557 Research Blvd. (near the Target on 183). Yes, they have a weekday lunch buffet, but give the Asian-style specials a try. *In fairness to other places, I believe that Tien Hong, Rainbow Seafood, and the newly-opened Tan Tan all have some version of wonton noodle soup. The best, though, is at Austin Wok N Roll (the dumplings are usually stuffed with shrimp), but that's another story.
Austin, TX