Restaurant Review of the Week

BeeWon Secret Garden

By Darien Bates

It’s apparent as soon as you walk into BeeWon Secret Garden at the corner of Annandale Rd. and Arlington Blvd., the place has been there for a while. The foyer that leads into the restaurant is adorned with a number of reviews from various publications over the years, including one Washington Post article dating back to September, 1982.

These articles, though unanimous in support of the restaurant’s cuisine, differ in the physical descriptions of the restaurant. One review mentions an eclectic American appearance, another says something about a windmill, though it is unclear whether it graced the inside or outside of the building.

Yes, during the 25 years since opening the restaurant has gone through several interior design makeovers, but throughout it all the soul of the restaurant, the ownership, has never changed.
In fact, according to people at the restaurant, they are the oldest Korean restaurant in the D.C. Metropolitan area, stretching from Northern Virginia through Maryland.

Today Mr. Hyo Don Lee, the second generation owner of the restaurant, continues to run the kitchen with an adherence to Korean culture and cuisine which, for the customers, translates into top-quality fare and genuine Korean flavors, apparent in the clientele, many of whom chat away in Korean as they dine.

As for the appearance; after 25 years the dining room has settled into a comfortable, elegant setting with the traditional wood and paper screens and ornate paintings and fans decorating the walls.

Remembering my own initiation into Korean cuisine, I feel it’s necessary to describe here the basic method of dining at a Korean restaurant. Often served around a grill in the middle of the table, meat dishes like bulgogi, the well-known beef stir-fry, is usually cooked at the table then wrapped in lettuce leaves with seasonings, similar in kind (though not taste) to a burrito.

Along with the main course, are a number of small side dishes that everyone takes part in. These dishes, prepared beforehand and often served cold, include kimchi the most famous dish in Korean cooking, usually made from pickled Napa cabbage and chili pepper, although recipes vary and can incorporate ingredients like cucumbers and even fish.

Despite the small size of the side dishes, there are so many, and the main course is large enough that one never leaves the table hungry.

Even without much foreknowledge about the cuisine, at Secret Garden the staff is patient enough to help one through the menu and provide instruction in the basics.

The menu itself, while extensive, is relatively easy to navigate, with helpful dividers between each section, denoting soups and appetizers, entrees, lunch specials, and more.

A combination Korean and Japanese restaurant, Secret Garden also offers a sushi bar with nigiri sushi, maki sushi and sashimi. Also available is teriyaki style chicken, beef and pork, and varieties of tempura.

Still, the draw remains the Korean style dishes, like the bulgogi. The marinated beef rib-eye, cooked at the table is spot-on when combined with spices and served in lettuce leaves. And for vegetarians there are dishes like the vegetable chop chae, clear noodles stir-fried with a fascinating selection of mushrooms and vegetables.

Of course there is always the kimchi, as well as the ever-present barley tea, a personal favorite.
Returning to the reviews hung in the entrance, there is one other similarity that all seem to have, the unanimous recommendation; don’t let Secret Garden remain so. Not to be redundant, I will simply say it would be a shame not to join in on the secret yourself, at least once.