Gourmet Garden

Being a malaysian, I have to say the food is very authentic.
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Mila
9 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, March 14, 2012

I took my friend's daughter and her friends to Gourmet Garden for a celebratory graduation dinner last Friday. As they were all from Malaysia, I wasn't sure whether they would find it authentic enough, but was very pleased when they all declared the food was very fresh and just like they would have eaten back home in Malaysia!

The service was excellent, the ambience very pleasant - we had a lovely round table with a crisp white tablecloth.

My personal favourites from the food we ordered was the Poh Pia, braised pork belly and the home-made beancurd - all of which were really exceptional.

I will definitely go there again.
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9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Thursday, July 28, 2011

Just been there last Friday (10.09.2010) night. Food was good, 3 of us together, each ordering a dish. One was Laksa, by the time we got to eating it, the soup has all been soaked up by the vermiceli, so we ask the waitress for some extra soup. The proprietor (the lady) came over, patronisingly saying we should have eaten the Laksa first, as it is obvious that the soup will be absorbed by the vermiceli, and if we want to top up the soup, we have to pay extra. By that time a waitress came over smilingly, putting down the bowl of Laksa with soup in. Then, we saw the proprietor (really a nasty lady) telling the poor waitress off. She look so, so sad!!! Poor thing, before we left we apologise to her profusely, for getting her into trouble.

Now. all I can say is the food was good, obviously they have a 'good' chef there, pity about the 'proprietor'! No wonder at 8:30 pm on a Friday night, there were only 2 other tables occupied. Sad....!
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Devon Wong
4 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 7
Thursday, September 16, 2010

We are great fans of the Gourmet Garden, and don't understand why it is not busier, because the food is great. The chef is Chinese from Penang in Malyasia. Maybe it is the location that works against it - on Watford Way just north of Hendon Central Station - a bleak place on a six lane highway, but do make the effort to go. Inside the restaurant is pleasant and roomy.

My husband is from Singapore and goes into little paroxysms of nostalgia over dishes that are hard to find elsewhere. The Poh Pia, wrapped rolls or rojak - a savoury fruit salad. My favourite is smoked chilli chicken - a tasty starter (and not that fiery) and the tamarind prawns. And then you will find Malaysian staples like Beef Rendang, and familiar chinese dishes - do try the roast duck.

The service is charming, but not speedy. That's because everything is cooked freshly. We wouldn't have it any other way.
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Scaasi - View all reviews by this user
9 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Having just moved to the area and having been recommended to us, we were excited to try out this Chinese restaurant - looking for somewhere to call our regular and being a great fan of eating out and pan Asian food in general. It has an interesting menu of fairly usual Chinese fare with some rather intriguing Malaysian choices as well.

The restaurant was pretty busy on a Saturday night although there arent that many tables in quite a big space so it certainly didnt feel very overrun and was mostly occupied by Chinese customers (excuse the potential prejudiced comment here) which has got to be a good sign.

It was the Mongolian Lamb and pancakes (rather than duck) which had been recommended to us as well as a Nasi Lemak which is a Malaysian dish of rice with chicken,vegetables, prawns, pickled vegetables sprinkled with sesame seeds, peanuts and strips of dried anchovy. Unfortunately, early on a Saturday evening, the rather harsh waitress said that they had run out of both dishes, it always happens and we should come another day if we wanted it..... we were quite surprised that if this "always happens" they dont have more in and therefore benefit from the demand? We ordered some of the other Malaysian dishes still intrigued to try them as well as some of the usual chinese dishes and were unfortunately disappointed. It was the service mainly that caused this although the food wasnt great overall either......

There had clearly been a mix up with the order after an excruciatingly long wait our quarter duck came at the same time as our soup. The duck was cold, the pancakes stuck together, the plates cold and the soup although (straight out of the microwave) hot was entirely tasteless and bereft of any chicken whatsoever. When we politely mentioned that the soup was not as described in terms of taste, we were asked whether we had every had it before and told (without the (same harsh) waitress having tasted it) that there was nothing wrong with it and that we were wrong. No apology, no ackowledgement, no offer to replace it and certainly no refund on the bill at the end of the night - this made the taste in our mouth even worse!

In fairness the rest of the dishes were OK, although a Malaysian fish dish was based around quite chewy fish, it had been fried rather than cooked in the sauce and was probably not particularly fresh. Drinks (just tea and water) took over 20 minutes to arrive, breaks between the combined duck / soup course was over 40 minutes with no acknowledgement and when we left nobody said thank you or goodbye.

I will find a different Chinese restaurant in the future to take my business and unfortunately will now never taste the recommended dishes as I won't be going back, the owners dont seem interested in providing good service or particularly good food which I think is a shame as I had high hopes which were compeletely dashed, the food isnt that cheap and so I will find somewhere else were they value their customers, take pride in the food and service and are interested in repeat custom.
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1 Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 0
Monday, March 15, 2010

I've been visiting this restaurant for the last 10 years and can never fault it. Staff are very friendly, food is amazing and reasonably priced! You can sometimes be the only people in there which has never been a problem for us.

Overall a fantastic little gem in Hendon, would highly recommend
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Dee K
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Friday, August 14, 2009

Someone needs to write a positive review on this place. There is nothing wrong with it! If you come here expecting the Ritz, then of course you'll be disappointed. Review it for what it is (yes, I'm addressing the previous reviewer). This is a suburban restaurant on a high street in Hendon, not a 5-star on a rooftop terrace in Monaco.

I've been frequenting this place almost since it came into existence, some time in the mid-90s I think. It has changed hands at least once in that time but I have never known the standard to drop below par.

It is true it is not exceptional, but it is also true you will not be disappointed. You will be waited upon with courtesy and be served food that will satisfy. The wine list could be a bit more varied on the reds and perhaps one or two of the dishes were a little different to what I would find in the Far East, but I always enjoy my experiences here.

The atmosphere is "just okay" - not terribly inspiring, but it's smart, comfortable and clean.

It is very normal to find this place fully occupied and by many members of the Chinese community, who clearly give it their stamp of approval.

Recommended. I will certainly be continuing my repeat visits.
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Alan Ingham - View all reviews by this user
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 9
Friday, August 14, 2009