How long I have waited for this.

Someone has to say it: the good old days of Bean Curd, Shanghai Jazz, and Blossom ended many years ago. The more we ate at these establishments, the lower our standards became, as we slowly developed a tolerance for subpar Chinese food. That did not prevent me from testing these restaurants again and again, and every single time I couldn’t help but feel the same indifference.

But a Cultural Revolution has arrived in the form of Dao of Madison, located on the Street of Main, it is a Giant Leap Forward for this 10 pizzeria town.

I must say the food is excellent. Since opening its doors on September 1, I am not sure whether to be proud or embarrassed to share that I have visited three times.

I would highly recommend their soup dumplings (or xiaolongbao if you want to flex your Chinese skills), which seem to be a specialty of the restaurant. The dumplings are filled with a flavorful soup and filling, and paired with a nice sauce; they are a perfect start to the meal. I also enjoyed the cold sesame noodles. Tossed in a sesame sauce with cucumbers, they offer a flavorful contrast to all the hot food on the menu.

Now for the entrees. As far as American Chinese restaurants go, the majority of the menu is rather standard. However, Dao’s specialties menu provides some real authentic takes on traditional Chinese cuisine. The mapo tofu, a traditional dish from the Szechuan province, was delicious. The spicy and tingly sensation it gives you is not found in many other dishes, and I would recommend anybody with some spice tolerance to give it a shot.

I wouldn’t want to discredit Dao’s American Chinese food either. The General Tso’s chicken was great; light and crispy, with a nice sweet and spicy sauce. This versatility is the key to good Chinese cuisine, and exactly what Madison needed.

I would give Dao Madison an 8.2 out of 10. I will rave about Dao, but that doesn’t mean there is better out there, which hopefully justifies my 8.2 score. All I hope now is that Madisonians come to their senses, reject the old restaurants, and convert to Daoism.