1105 Brown St.
Dayton, OH 45409
937.716.1298
website
Just opened on Brown Street, Ginger and Spice Asian Bistro is Dayton’s latest take on noodles. It’s the latest in a recent trend of pan-Asian noodle houses opening around college campuses in this part of the country, driven in part by convenience and in part by the higher popularity of fast-casual Asian dishes that are packed for convenience. Ginger serves up styles including Korean jam pong, Chinese lo mein, pad Thai and Vietnamese pho. Of course there may be some things here the average Midwesterner might not be accustomed to, but this spot has a lot to offer.
So the menu has a mix of a lot of different items from different cultures. The idea is that all of them are made to take-out easily. The dishes I tried:
- Pad Thai: Undoubtedly one of the most popular and familiar dishes on the menu, the pad Thai comes with the option of chicken or shrimp, and of course it’s topped with eggs, peanuts and other proteins. A delicous take on the dish, this one has a bit of a slight heat to it, and the slice of lime on top really brings it all together.
- Spring rolls: Most spring rolls tend to be smaller. These are larger than you’d expect. One is actually pretty filling.
- Jjampong: A spicy Korean noodle dish served piping hot with clams, mussels, crayfish, squid and vegetables. Fills you up and keeps you warm!
- Chow mei fun: A Singapore-style vermicelli noodle dish stir-fried with curry, soy sauce and chicken. Heavy on the curry but if you like that, it’s perfect.
- Ginger and spice Fried rice: This enormous pile of fried rice is lightly stir fried with carrots, peas and onions, and served with pork if you like. This one will fill you up.
- Pot stickers: Hand-wrapped dumplings filled with pork and served with a dark sweet sauce. A very tasty appetizer! Heavy and meant to be shared.
So the service is very polite and nice. I will say that that it is taking a bit longer than normal; I walked in at 12:20 on Friday and the takeout wasn’t ready for about 30 minutes because of a backup in the kitchen. I’ll say on the same token though, that’s pretty typical of a brand new restaurant, especially one where the team behind the counter is just getting started with working together. I fully expect the wait times will go down pretty quickly as Ginger gets into the groove. But the spot has plenty of fans already; the place was packed. It’s great to see this concept, as others have opened at schools around Ohio, I’ve been wondering when University of Dayton would get one.
Ginger is a neat concept, with very friendly people and a kitchen that’s rolling along well for its first week. In all, I’d still say this is a place that’s worth a visit, and with those price points, maybe a few. You’ll get the chance to try a few things you’ve never tried before, and even the best-known dishes are great.
Recommendations
- The restaurant interior is pretty small and cozy. I’d suggest going with a small group if you plan to dine in.
- Carry-out is the most popular option with the food, and while waits can be a little backed up on the lunch hour, generally the food is worth it.
- The price points here are great for a convenient and filling meal.
Another Food Critic 