By Rebekah Sherman
The Chinese restaurant Hong Kong Garden may be easily overlooked near Fred’s Shoe Store and Sofia’s Pizza and Sports Bar. In my opinion, Hong Kong Garden is a restaurant worth tasting for people with tight schedules, who desire quick service and want take-out, or who have sensitive stomachs. Personally, I rate Hong Kong Garden a generous seven out of ten.
Hong Kong Garden is located at 475 Breckwood Boulevard in Springfield, only 0.3 miles from Western New England University. The restaurant is ideal for residential students, nearby off-campus housing, faculty and staff, and even an easy grab-and-go lunch or dinner for commuters. Hong Kong Garden is situated closest to Gateway Village and is approximately a three-minute walk for Gateway Village residents. The Chinese restaurant is located in the same complex as Hot Table and the Bank of America. There are a few reserved parking spots for Hong Kong Garden customers within the complex, but I found that there is always a parking spot available within the parking lot complex if the reserved parking spots are unavailable. Parking spots are also easy to pull into and out of.
Although the interior of the restaurant has minimal décor, feels “bare,” and the in-dining seating is few, the Hong Kong Garden restaurant remains an ideal option for a positive take-out experience. Additionally, I liked how the employees honored each customer who was a mother on Mother’s Day by giving her a red rose.
Overall, the food quality is good, and my subjective ratings relate to my take-out experiences. I would rate the fried chicken wings a nine out of ten because of the crispness, quality of taste, and packaged presentation. For the take-out option, the fried chicken wings are packaged in a thin, clear paper bag, rolled tightly closed, with approximately six pairs of one chicken wing attached to one chicken leg.
For vegetable meals, I would rate the vegetable fried rice and vegetable lo mein an eight out of ten. I feel that both meals come with plenty of mixed vegetables, including peas, chopped carrots, brussels sprouts, sweet onions, broccoli, sliced lettuce, and baby corn. The vegetable fried rice also contains fried eggs. The vegetable fried rice and lo mein are tightly packaged in containers with small, red, traditional Chinese markings and pictures and are filled to the brim. However, the sauce used for the lo mein is less spicey and blander than other Chinese restaurants, which is good for individuals with sensitive stomachs.
I would rate the moo shu rice pancakes a seven out of ten for the thin, chewy texture. An order of the moo shu pancakes comes with a generous portion in a plastic wrap. If you enjoy wraps, I suggest adding fried rice and lo mein on top of a rice pancake and wrapping it up. I would rate Hong Kong Garden’s white rice a seven out of ten because of the texture. The white rice is great for reheating another day with the addition of fried eggs.
If you enjoy Chinese food but have a busy schedule, then Hong Kong Garden is the quick stop for you. Only a mere dial away, and hot, steaming Chinese food is on the way to help your average day become filled with warmth and joy. Again, I rate Hong Kong Garden a seven out of ten.
