Best Food In China

Location

Walking into Garage Café is reminiscent of walking into a cozy student eatery in America. A relatively new restaurant, its décor is a cool mixture of funky American and bohemian. It’s tucked away in an apartment complex on the far west side of town and frequented by students of Zhejiang University. It’s an international crowd and the language of choice is English, which the friendly manager, Andy, can also speak fluently, a huge plus for expats who are constantly looking for new favorites of international cuisine. It’s quite a small place but that only serves to better control quality, and the food is carefully prepared with traditional Thai and Indian spices. I had high expectations of the food because it was packed to full capacity on a Sunday evening and I had spotted a pizza oven at the front of the restaurant. The menu is an eclectic assortment of food from Thailand and India with an eclectic mix of American, Italian, and Malaysian.

Our appetizers were vegetarian Samosas and crispy Thai spring rolls. The spring rolls were delicious; the wrapper was delicately crispy, and had vermicelli, carrot, chicken and mushrooms, flavored with oyster oil. I loved the texture of the vermicelli noodles that contrasted nicely with the thin wrapping. The Samosas had a slightly spicy kick that was pleasant, with beans, potatoes, onions, carrot, green peppers and peas to add a homey, comfort food quality to the Indian treats.

The Tom Yum Kung soup arrived in in a tureen so that we could help ourselves. It was mildly spicy with plenty of fresh lemongrass for the traditionally sour taste that I associate with Thai soups. It also contained chicken and mushrooms that thickened the broth nicely, along with a dash on condensed milk. The more earthy flavors of the chicken and mushrooms balanced the chili and lemongrass for a smoother texture.

The two curries, Thai Spicy Curry with Seafood and Indian Chicken Tikka Masala Curry were served with some white rice. The Thai curry was sweeter, a thinner, with generous helpings of clams, mussels, shrimp, oysters and peppers. It was spicier than other dishes but sweetness of the chili paste kept the curry from burning our tongues. Andy assured me that the chili paste (chua hah seng) was imported specially from Thailand for an authentic experience. By contrast, the Indian masala curry was less spicy and thicker in texture. It was incredibly warming and comforting, with steamed potatoes and chicken simmering with the curry. I could taste the traditional herbs such as coriander associated with Indian curry.

The next dish, Philly Cheesesteak was a complete surprise to the American diners, including myself. I’ve never seen a cheesesteak on the menu in China and it was a welcome addition to the otherwise Southeastern Asian meal. While it wasn’t a traditional Philly Cheesesteak, it was actually quite delicious and flavored very well. It was beef filet with melted cheese, mushrooms, garlic, onions and lemon sauce, which went very well with toasted bread.

At the end of the meal, I had a friendly chat with the very busy Andy, who is the owner, manager, and sometimes the maitre’d and waiter. Being located near one of the college campuses, Garage Café is clearly a popular hangout spot for international students. Moreover, the chef of Garage Café collaborates with the chef of a nearby hotel on Italian and American cuisine, to ensure authenticity. The prices are easy on the wallet as well; nowhere in Hangzhou can diners spend less than 50 kuai on Southeastern food and leave well-satisfied.

-- by Kate Moon

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