Location, location, location. That old mantra that can make a big difference to a restaurant’s success and failure. And being next to Au Bon Pain and Secret Recipe at the end of a mall corridor means B Garden isn’t blessed on that front. To be fair, they do try and make you forget your surroundings. A pretty metal railing, cute pastel colored umbrellas and comfy cushioned bench seats all help to give the place a feminine touch, while the wicker chairs and ornamental bird bath (complete with real birds last time) almost let you believe you’re dining alfresco. Almost, but not quite though, as any illusion is shattered by screaming kids finishing their taekwondo class and the security guard picking his spots in the nearby mirror. It is a shame as B Garden certainly stands up to comparison with its nearby competitor Greyhound Café and there are many similarities between both: decent if not life-changing international dishes at OK prices aimed squarely at women who lunch. The appetizers include plenty of choice and the Australian beef satay is certainly worth its recommended tag: juicy, meaty beef kebabs, served with ample sweet satay sauce, a dish of ajad and some extra toast thrown in. The baked spinach with cheese is also fresh and flavorful, better in our opinion than Greyhound’s dish. For mains, choose between pastas, international and Thai favorites. While the Thai options are OK, pricewise you’re better off sticking to the inter dishes. The spaghetti with bacon, garlic and olive oil is al dente and comes with crisp bacon and big chunks of buttery garlic. It’s good but not inspired, though we do like the parmesan shaker. Neither is the slightly bland fried salmon in butter sauce. Our biggest disappointment would have to be the strangely small dessert menu, try the chocolate brownie with ice cream. Maybe they just figured that Secret Recipe has that covered next door. Our tip, come midweek to avoid the noisy Saturday crowds, rub shoulder pads with the big haired ladies and take advantage of their affordable set menus. No corkage.
B-Garden
