Bites Nearby: Spring Garden

Most people have their “go-to” favorite when it comes to Chinese restaurants, and Silver Spring certainly has an extensive selection to choose from. Most have the standards – General Tso’s chicken, beef with broccoli, triple delight, fried rice and wonton soup, while others branch out by offering other cuisines such as Thai, Japanese or on occasion, fried chicken.

 , located in the Spring Mill Shopping Center on 16th Street is my “go-to” in the area.

Spring Garden’s menu is a nice combination (no pun intended) of traditional Chinese favorites, Japanese offerings and sushi. What sets Spring Garden apart from the ubiquitous Asian fare is their sauces. I’d venture to guess that in a blind taste test, most people couldn’t distinguish between plates of kung pao from five different restaurants, unless one was Spring Garden.

To me, the kung pao is a bit spicier, the brown sauce a bit richer, the sweet and sour pushed both ends of the spectrum and the plum sauce accompanying the moo shu a bit tangier than other local places I’ve tried.

One other standout on the extensive menu is the hot and sour soup. At many restaurants, hot and sour soup tends to be neither. It also seems like an afterthought – a conglomeration of all the bits left over in the wok from a day’s cooking. Spring Garden’s hot & sour, by contrast, lives up to its name with a nice balance of heat and tang. The broth is rich and flavorful, with a healthy ratio of mushrooms, tofu and pork.

Spring Garden is a quick trip from downtown Silver Spring, and worth the extra effort!

Spring Garden is located at 8613 16the Street, Silver Spring. Mon-Thurs 11:00 a.m.-10:30 p.m., Fri-Sat 11:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m. and Sun 12:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. Spring Garden also offers delivery in the local area. Call 301-588-9337 for more information.