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.
“Indo- Chinese cuisine is not very common, but it's about 200 years old,” Ahmed said. “It originated in Calcutta in India, which is on the border of China. 200 years ago, when Chinese migrants came to India to work, they created this cuisine where they used 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, ensuring that each dish is prepared with precision and care.
“Sonam, who is the head chef, worked in Dubai with five-star hotels and also some Michelin star restaurants in the Middle East and in India as well,” Ahmed said. “... He's very highly qualified with about 20 years of experience in this cuisine.”
What’s on the menu?
What sets The Spice Garden apart is its commitment to freshness and authenticity. Every ingredient is sourced locally and prepared daily, ensuring each meal is an enjoyable experience.
“We are the more authentic way of doing it, because we don't use any preserved food or any refrigerated food,” Ahmed said.
Must-try menu items include:
- Freshly made chicken dumplings
- Chicken Thai Curry: sliced white chicken cooked in coconut based Thai curry sauce
- Chana Masala: chickpeas cooked in a rich masala gravy
- Burnt garlic fried rice
- Chili garlic noodles: thin eggless noodles, cabbage, carrot bell peppers, onion, scallions, sprouts and chili paste
- Mongolian beef
“We are very specialized in the mongolian beef,” Ahmed said. “It's the way they have to cut it, marinate it and then prepare it. That's one of our top sellers.”
Does The Spice Garden cater?
The Spice Garden experiences a large demand for its catering services. Ahmed said the restaurant regularly handles orders for corporate meetings, birthday celebrations and even weddings.
“We cover almost everything,” Ahmed said.
The team recently catered a 200-person event where the food arrived so fresh, guests didn’t even need burners.
How does the catering process work?
The family takes a hands-on approach to customization. Ahmed’s daughter leads the catering program, working closely with customers to plan menus, estimate quantities and ensure orders arrive hot and ready to serve.
“She normally talks to the customer to understand what they want, how many guests [they have], what quantity we should deliver and how we should deliver the food,” Ahmed said.
This precision also helps prevent unnecessary overspending and food waste, something the family takes seriously year-round.
The kitchen prepares all catering dishes as close to delivery time as possible, often finishing dishes just 30 minutes before they head out the door. This dedication ensures freshness regardless of event size.
“Our food will always be prepared fresh, just an hour before we deliver,” Ahmed said.
Catering menus can be adjusted for dietary restrictions, including vegan, gluten-free, nut-free and MSG-free requests.
Customer service and atmosphere
Another aspect of the restaurant that sets the restaurant apart is its emphasis on customer satisfaction.
“One of the things we have been hearing 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 don't do anything like that. Every order is made as for our customers’ preference.”
Beyond the exceptional food, The Spice Garden offers a warm and inviting 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 every table and we ask them, ‘How is the food? Let us know if you don't like anything,’” Ahmed said. “We have a very streamlined workflow that helps us to satisfy customers. When they order, they don't have to wait for an hour until their food comes from the table.”
Ready to experience The Spice Garden for yourself?
Restaurant hours are:
- Mon. through Fri. from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
- Sat. through Sun. from noon to 3 p.m. and 5 to 10 p.m.
The above story was produced by Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.
