Exploring the multicultural cuisine in Spring Garden Place
What you’ll find when you skip Starbucks
Lunch hour at the corner of Spring Garden Road and Dresden Row features a sea of high schoolers, nine-to-fivers, university students, errand runners and yoga-goers. Hungry Haligonians line up inside McDonald’s or Starbucks for a taste of their familiar lunchtime favourites. It’s understandable — customers know what they’re going to get.
But what if, instead of waiting in line for that same old grandé iced latte, you go through the main doors of Spring Garden Place, pass the Starbucks, and take the elevator down to the fascinating maze of the shopping centre’s lower food court?
I first stumbled upon this treasure while desperately searching for a public bathroom. When I reached the elevator, I stopped for a moment, in awe of such a beautiful, indoor space. Above, a skylight, and below, a semicircle filled with large, leafy plants and floor-to-ceiling mirrors. The first thing likely to catch your eye is the man stretching and twisting dough.
The menu at Tiger‘s Hand-Pulled Noodles is small, which, for me, was a good sign that whatever I ordered would be delicious. I recommend the classic Lanzhou beef noodle soup and suggest getting the small size because even that is roughly the size of a large salad bowl. If you like it spicy, chilli oil is available. Then bring your bowl to a table and dig in. You’ll be amazed at how a clear broth can hold so much flavour.
Only a few steps away is Borsch House, an authentic Ukrainian cafeteria-style hot table lunchroom. I recommend the cabbage rolls, borscht and juice. The portions are modest, so it may not be the best choice if you’re super hungry. The price for a full meal combo, plus a soup or salad, could be better spent at the grocery store to make two full meals. What really makes Borsch House unique is its impressively stocked Eastern European grocery section on the side, offering many items I haven’t found anywhere else in downtown Halifax.
To continue exploring this underground labyrinth, go past Tiger’s Noodles to Adda Indian Eatery. The menu at this Indian street food spot is extensive, featuring everything from chaat to dosa to Hakka cuisine and Americanized sandwiches. I recommend going on Thursdays for the buy one, get one free dosa.
At the back of the food court is Ko-Doraku, a family-owned Japanese restaurant secluded from the outside world. It’s the perfect place to sit alone and collect your thoughts, or share an intimate meal with a friend. This is probably the most expensive option, but you’ll get high-quality fish and great food.
Aside from Tiger’s Noodles, you’re probably not getting the best meal of your life at Spring Garden Place. The real draw is the escape: retreating to the lower food court removes you from the chaotic streets above and draws you into one of the most multicultural spots in Halifax. It’s the only place in the city to see people eating noodles, borscht, dumplings and chicken biryani all in one space.
