Crwys Road, Cardiff
www.facebook.com/secretkgarden
Korean food is becoming ever more popular in the UK, which is certainly showing with the opening of Cardiff’s Secret K Garden. The restaurant is hosted by Crwys Road’s famous Falafel Kitchen, and by night, almost by magic, the mezze are put away, and traditional Korean metal chopsticks are laid out as Secret K Garden appears. Serving a wide range of very reasonably priced dishes, this new restaurant is quickly becoming a favourite among Cardiff’s foodies.
Bibimbap (mixed rice dishes) served in the dolsots (stone pots) they’re cooked in, eel, u-dong noodles, jjigae stews, traditional broths, elegantly fragranced kimchi, spicy gochujang, and selections of anju (Korean tapas) all flow out of the kitchen, lovingly prepared by the establishment’s Korean chef. We were made to feel very welcome by the genuinely friendly staff, who were more than happy to explain the dishes on the menu, as well as Korea’s rich foodie traditions and culture.
Shortly after sitting, we were treated to our appetisers, which included kimchi, gently spiced mushrooms, seaweed, and of course soju, Korea’s drink of choice, which bears a semblance to Japanese sake. Offering light and refreshing Korean beers along with green and jujube teas, there’s plenty to entertain foodies, but there is a large enough choice of food and drink to provide something for everyone. We were later treated to our dolsot beef bibimbap and yangyeom chicken. The bibimbap was similar to a Japanese donburi, but extremely fragrant, while the yangyeom chicken was possibly the best chicken I had ever eaten.
For afters, we tried the green tea ice cream, Korean-style coffee, and green tea latte, all of which were sweet, but with an element of slight difference making it more interesting. This is a great place to go to discover a rising cuisine in a friendly environment.
words LUKE OWAIN BOULT