This place was recommended to us by a friend and after a long time of meaning to go, we took the opportunity post lockdown to eat out.
It may not look like much from the outside, the street veranda signage is lacking but this place is a gem.
The staff there are all really nice and one older lady was super friendly and welcoming.
The waitress gave us some good suggestions on what was popular amongst the diners and we took upon her suggestion for the special Stewed Lamb Pot, Spicy Braised Beef, Di San Xian (Trio veges of eggplant, potato and capsicum), Cucumber Salad, and rice.
The chef was really fast after we ordered our food, the salad came first, then the mains and rice.
The salad was great! Tastes just like the small side dishes I'd find back home. Fresh, crushed open, marianted in a soy sauce, garlic, vinegar and seasame oil dressing. Delicious!
Both the lamb and beef were wonderful. We had the spice level adjusted for our group to mild.
The lamb broth was flavourful, with the aroma of various spices that help cut the gaminess of the lamb, and the meat was stewed tender and juicy. The bean curd has soaked up all the broth, just divine. A really good balance in this dish and pairs perfectly with rice. Not too heavy.
The beef was tender, and the vege in it has also soaked up the broth and cooked so that it's soft and tender in your mouth. The broth pairs excellently with rice as well.
Now one of my classic favs, the Di San Xian vege trio. There was just enough oil and flavour in this dish which makes it light enough but also flavourable. The skins of the veges are slightly firm from the frying, and the inside remains soft and chewy. The sauce really tops it off with the balance of sweet, salty and umami.
We got the opportunity to try some of the dessert, the custard pockets? Deep fried custard rolls in dough. Skin is nicely caramelised, thin and crispy, a nice amount of custard filling for the inside.
The serving sizes are definitely on the bigger side and we ended up taking our leftovers home and ate it for lunch the following day.
The service was great, premises were clean and have cute little Chinese decor, from the lamps to the ceiling fan in the same style as you would find in Asia. :)
I would definitely make the trip down from Auckland again sometime to eat here again. Absolutely delightful.
Wow the service here was absolutely incredible, the owner is so lovely and sweet. She made us feel so at home and even taught us some games. And to top it off the food was DELICIOUS 🤤 Myself and my husband are vegetarian and the vegetarian options were amazing (we got the Mapo Tofu with rice, Sweet and Sour "Pork" and vege dumplings!) We would highly recommend Silver Spoon and will definitely visit again (we are from Tauranga but would gladly drive the 2 hours just for the experience and food). Thank you so much 🥰
This place is owned by a lovely lady, great service and highly recommended!!! She even gave us a little present. We ordered the sweet and sour pork and it was really yummy 🤤
Amazing food and lovely boss. This is my first time come here but definitely will come next time and share with my friend !!
Had the coolest and nicest experience here! The place is well decorated and feel relaxed and well looked after. Went on my birthday and the service was incredible, teaching us a new game to play while we wait for our food and even got a Chinese soup bowl from the lovely lady there. The food is delicious and lots of options!! Definitely will be eating here again soon!!
Food is fantastic here! Crispy duck and pan fried aubergines are delicious. Not greasy and felt super fresh. Plus the lady who served us yesterday gave the best customer service. Thank you
We had the crispy duck and vegetables with soy sauce and the prawns with egg yolk. It was excellent and very good value. The deep fried custard was decadent. The staff are lovely.
Amazing restaurant! Really enjoyed the pork and chive dumplings, the vinegar sauce was so good! And the crispy duck with the vegetables with special sauce was delicious. You can tell a lot of love goes into this business, staff were so so friendly and welcoming, would definitley go back again! thank you :)
I've dined at this little gem on multiple occasions, and every single time I've enjoyed their delicious food. The menu has a lot of vegan and vegetarian options. I would argue that Silver Spoon has the most tasty vegan food in the entire tron! The sweet and sour pork (a vegetable-based version that can be made vegan) remains my favourite item, hoewever the sweet and sour eggplant dish (can be made vegan) is superb too. The hostess is super friendly, welcoming, and accomodating. I suggest trying the 'pineapple beer' drink they offer- it is surprisingly delightful. I can't praise Silver Spoon enough, honestly. Top job guys- keep doing what you do! :)
P.S. They have online delivery options if you don't feel like going into town.
Really want to recommend this place. Authentic food, good to share with family and friends.
They may not speak much English but please don't let that deter you from their amazing fried pork! The gizzards was awesome, too.
It was the most authentic, simple yet delicious food.
Went there last night for a late dinner, 9.20pm almost and they were so lovely and accommodating! Food was AMAZING, my partner and I ordered the crispy duck, pork and chives pan-fried dumplings, sweet and sour pork and the cooked eggplant. The sweet and sour pork was different to your usual sauce soaked style, making it 100x better - crispy with a light sweetness. And that eggplant, Yunnan 10/10
They even gave us a little new years gift 🎁.
Would def go again!
Great place with a great vibe. Ordered the chicken and cordyceps clay pot rice (2 people). Delicious and easily fed both of us. We were also given some small card and tile games to play while we waited for the meal to arrive. Only negative point was that I lost said games :(
Overall- fantastic place with wonderful hospitality. Would highly recommend!
Best Chinese restaurant in town. Was introduced by a native Chinese friend and I have never gone to another Chinese restaurant since!
Highly recommend the eggplant dish.
Awesome food, fast service, and the owners are so lovely. Thanks guys! See you guys again soon
Excellent food, outstanding service and we even received a gift (Chinese New Year gift)! Don't be put off by the decor. I believe it was done on purpose. It feels like an old, quaint restaurant from years gone by but the food is first rate. Will definitely eat here again!☺👍
Very friendly staff, very delicious food. We had best lockdown takeaway experiences. We will definitely go back. Dumpling, chicken and eggplant dishes extremely yummy.
Good experience of authentic Chinese food. If you want Kiwi-style Chinese food, this probably isn't the place for you. This restaurant is just like places we frequented when living in China and the food is exactly like what we got there too. When we want some real Chinese food, this is where we go. The owners are kind and this place is very popular with Hamilton's Chinese community.
Nice food. Great service. Very authentic chinese food.
Another outstanding dinner at Silver Spoon tonight. The reason we keep coming back? The service is quick and always with a smile, the staff are super friendly and treat you like you’re family, the food is delicious, fresh, tasty and authentic. It’s a pure joy to eat here.
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