Located on the ground floor of the Galaxy Macau, Spice Garden has an inviting interior of carved sandstone, high ceilings, Mughal arches and latticed shutters, making up a space that is modern and free of scents of herbs and spices, unlike most Indian restaurants we’ve been to. The interior is also beautifully lit, with a small bar at one end of the restaurant. Tables are reasonably spaced out and while the restaurant may not sport the most extravagant of furniture, its cushion-clad shisha lounge is worth a visit.

The menu here is divided into two cuisines: Northern Indian and Middle Eastern, with a heavier emphasis on the former. The lamb shorba, essentially a stew with lamb meat and marrow, is beautifully seasoned with herbs and spices, giving a good kick that lasts. The meat might have been a tad tough but perfect for those who aren’t fans of gamy flavours, and is a lovely soup overall. The chicken tikka masala, arriving at the perfect temperature, is a good addition to the table, with a creamy touch, beautiful aroma and subtle sweetness to the curry. Also on the menu is one of our favourites of garlic naan, which is freshly baked to a crispy crust but maintains a pleasant chewiness at the same time. The brilliantly seasoned golden fried prawns retain the freshness of the shellfish, and are expertly fried, coming to the table without excessive amounts of dripping oil.

Spice Garden sports a very small wine list with only two wines by the glass, and just over two dozen by the bottle. While they all fall on the cheaper end (the most expensive bottle is priced at MOP860), the list encompasses a diverse geographic spread, from Portugal and the US to India and New Zealand. You’ll also be surprised by the relatively impressive list of cocktails, aperitifs and premium spirits. 

It was always easy to get the attention of your service in this rather open dining space. There’s the friendly but slightly inexperienced hostess who doubled as our server, and staff offer generous smiles that are always welcome. But knowledge on dishes is generally limited; dishes were brought along without introductions. 

One of the bigger draws to Spice Garden is no doubt the price. A filling three-course meal with wine at this hotel restaurant tallies to just under MOP700 for two.