Recently, we made it out to the Silver Spoon Café. Beichen Gardens may be a remote place for many people but this new café seems to have a dedicated following. I needed a guide and, therefore, I will provide such details. One simply travels northwards on Beijing Lu until reaching the Northern Coach Station, behind which is the METRO supermarket. Across the street is a KFC restaurant – the Silver Spoon is someway behind KFC, set in a large residential area with attractive gardens, together with many other restaurants, bars, and shops.

As mentioned before, it is a tiny café. The décor is an attractive Americana style with many small tables (perhaps, one too many) that were not occupied during our visit, except for one person browsing the Internet. My companion suggested that a few cushions would be welcome.

We ordered two delicious garlic soups — my companion also ordered a tasty Caesar salad and I tried the roast pork and blue cheese toasted sandwich. Thin slices of roast pork as an ingredient becomes nondescript when toasted with blue cheese that, itself, was a little bland. Blue cheese is usually wonderful to use for cooking but, in this case, I would venture to suggest using something like Gorgonzola or Roquefort (if available). The home-made bread was good but some garnish would not have gone amiss.

A visit to the Silver Spoon becomes a dilemma when one's attention is drawn towards an appetising lunch (or supper) menu. Kyle Essary (below) mentioned the beef bourginon. But this is very much a tiny café and should not be confused with a restaurant, especially as 24 hours notice is required for anything other than soup, salad, sandwiches, and the attractive deserts.

The owners of this café should be commended because they are obviously keen to bring good western food to Kunming and, if they opened a café/restaurant downtown, I would be a frequent visitor.

In response to prd34:

First, it's ridiculous to blame a certain restaurant for your sickness.

Foodborne illness (often called food poisoning) has an incubation period of up to several days.

It's just as likely that you got sick from an earlier meal in the day or even something you ate the day before.

Second, The Silver Spoon has always offered to make a fresh sandwich if you want it.

You could have just asked.

If you have a bad experience at a restaurant that everyone else has rated with 5 "GKs," you might want to try it again because your opinion is obviously in the minority.

I have eaten at the Silver Spoon many many times and it has always been good.

I love the salads (especially the Bacon Blue Cheese and Apple Maple Walnut), but the sandwiches and soups are great too.

Silver Spoon is also a great place for coffee and dessert (and if you buy a coffee or drink, I love the raspberry lemonade, that's 16RMB or more from 2-4pm you can get a dessert for half price!).

No, I don't work for The Silver Spoon, I've just been there so often that I know...

My favorite part is the friendly staff who know my name (cue Cheers music) and the fact that it looks like a real American cafe/bistro.

The cookies classes and parties are also fun ideas.

They have wifi, too, like many of the places near Wenlinjie.

Ok, since I feel like I have to say something negative...the prices are not the cheapest, but when it comes down to it, it's worth it!

Also, they used to have Blondies

(sort of brownies, but with white chocolate) all the time, but I haven't seen them recently.

Bring back the Blondies, Silver Spoon!!!

If you're wondering about the prices, here are some examples:

Small Salad/Soup: 12
Large Salad/Soup: 22 (add 10 if you want chicken)
Bread of the Day: 8
Small Sandwich: 22 (30 for combo with a small salad or soup)
Large Sandwich: 30 (38 for a combo)
Cookies: 2-4
Bars: 12-14
Cheesecake: 20-28
Americano: 8
Cappuccino: 16
Latte: 18
Flavored Latte: 22
Chai: 22 (I've heard it's really good!)
Small Drink (Blackcurrant Cinnamon Iced Tea, Raspberry Lemonade, Peach Iced Tea, Strawberry Apple Juice): 12
Large Drink: 20

I went here once and that was the last time. I got sick as a dog and it took me several days to recover. I got there late and the only food they had were dishes that looked as if they had been sitting around all day. These were half-price if one bought a drink. Well, I did and it was the last time. It is also a bit pricey and definitely not worth the trip from central Kunming nor worth getting sick over.

There is no doubt that Silver Spoon is the best western restaurant in Kunming, hands down, put a fork in it.

Excellent salads and a ruben to make you want to drive back the States and slap your mom.

This place is REALLY good.

It's slightly more expensive than other western restaurants, but then the quality of the food also seems better too.

The dining area is small, but the design is very stylish and very western.

The Chipotle salad with chicken is GREAT and the desserts also looked pretty amazing.

If I could only eat at one western food place in Kunming, this would probably be the place I'd pick based on the food and the atmosphere.