Founded by Arfan Ahmed and Sonam Lama, The Spice Garden brings together the flavors of India and China and offers a unique dining experience for residents of the Round Rock area.
Located at 3107 S I-35 Frontage Road, Ste. 760, Round Rock, the family-run restaurant serves authentic Indo-Chinese dishes like butter chicken, lamb curry, garlic fried rice, Mongolian beef, naan and more.
“Indochinese cuisine is not very common, but it is about 200 years old,” Ahmed said. “It originated in Calcutta in India, which is on the border with China. 200 years ago, when Chinese migrants came to India to work, they created this cuisine, using Indian spices with the Chinese way of cooking.”
Ahmed’s son-in-law and partner Sonam Lama, a certified chef with extensive experience in Asian cuisine, oversees the kitchen and ensures that each dish is prepared with precision and care.
“Sonam, who is a head chef, worked in Dubai with five-star hotels and also some Michelin-starred restaurants in the Middle East and in India,” said Ahmed. “…He is very highly qualified with about 20 years of experience in this kitchen.”
What sets The Spice Garden apart is its commitment to freshness and authenticity. Every ingredient is sourced locally and prepared daily, ensuring that every meal is an enjoyable experience.
“We’re the more authentic way of doing it because we don’t use any canned food or any refrigerated food,” Ahmed said.
Must-try menu items include:
- Freshly made chicken dumplings
- Chicken Thai Curry: Sliced white chicken cooked in a coconut-based Thai curry sauce
- Chana Masala: Chickpeas cooked in a rich masala sauce
- Roasted garlic fried rice
- Chili Garlic Noodles: Thin noodles without egg, cabbage, carrot pepper, onion, scallion, sprouts, chili paste
- Mongolian beef
Ahmed said the restaurant is known for its Mongolian beef.
“We are very specialized in the Mongolian beef,” Ahmed said. “That’s the way they have to cut it, marinate it and then prepare it. It is one of our top sellers.”
Another aspect of the restaurant that sets it apart is its emphasis on customer satisfaction.
“One of the things we’ve heard from our customers who go to other Indian restaurants is when they go there and they tell them they need mild, it’s still too hot for them. … We do no such thing. Every order is made according to our customers’ preference.”
In addition to the exceptional food, The Spice Garden offers a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The restaurant’s interior is thoughtfully designed to create a comfortable and inviting space for diners. The friendly and attentive staff make guests feel welcome and ensure that every dining experience is memorable.
“We personally go to each table and we ask them, ‘How’s the food? Tell me if you don’t like something,'” Ahmed said. “We have a very streamlined workflow that helps us satisfy customers. When they order, they don’t have to wait an hour for their food to come off the table.”
Ready to experience The Spice Garden for yourself? The restaurant is open Mon. up to and including Fri. from 11:30 to 14:00 and 17:00 to 22:30; and Sat. through sun. from 12.00 to 15.00 and 17.00 to 22.00
To learn more about The Spice Garden, visit the restaurant’s website.
The above story was produced by multi-platform journalist Mary Katherine Shapiro with Community Impact’s Storytelling team with information provided exclusively by the local business as part of their “sponsored content” purchase through our advertising team.