The Korean Secret Garden in Santa Clara – Bi Won Restaurant
It’s late April and the wind still blows cold. The tiny coffee plant I got last winter is still grudgingly hiding in my room for warmth, while I desperately crave a big hot soup with kimchi. Since coffee leaves wouldn’t make either great broth or pickle, we set out to Sunnyvale.
But driving in Sunnyvale on an empty stomach is no fun. The signs and loops are out to get you, and your tummy makes you rush running around. It was supposed to take less than thirty minutes, yet we’ve been driving for over an hour. After lots of wrong turns and backtracking eastward and westward, we thought we wouldn’t make it before closing time. Then as Hope faints, we see it. Secret Garden timidly stands at the end of a strip mall’s parking lot.
The restaurant may not have a snazzy outlook, but its spacious interior is quite nice. I’m a fan of booth seating and its privacy, but it’s a luxury in Berkeley. Here, the mahogany tables and thick cushion benches fit snuggly in enclosing of wooden planks, so that conversations can be spilled out somewhat comfortably and elbows do not touch. But the loveliness of food on neighboring diners’ plates is still in sight. It’s torturous to look at others eating merrily while you’re hungry, you know. Thank goodness the banchan is served quickly. Within minutes after placing our orders, plates after plates come out that I barely have enough time to snap a picture of them all. As light shines directly onto the crisp white melamine, the color contrast is so brilliant I suddenly don’t want to disturb any plate with my clumsy chopsticks.
From left to right: napa cabbage kimchi, nokdumuk (녹두묵 mungbean jello), kongnamul (콩나물 boiled and seasoned soybean sprout), and very tasty firm red strips (name help, please? is it eomuk strips in chili sauce?) nakji bokkeum (낙지볶음 fried octopus). The soybean sprouts are bigger, fatter, and nuttier than the usual mungbean sprouts, which means they’re more satisfying. The nokdumuk tastes as translucent as it looks, a refreshing heal congealed and coated in soy sauce that playfully wobbles on the tongue.
To the right of the kongnamul are cucumber kimchi, radish kimchi, eomuk (fish cake), and crunchy green strings (again, I love it, but I don’t know its name. My guess is sliced seaweed?) seaweed with gogumajulki (고구마줄기 dried sweet potato stem). Something about rings of jalapeno in banchan bugs me, just like jalapeno in banh-mi. Not that I have anything against Mexican peppers, but the taste doesn’t belong.
Just as I thought the banchan list ended at eight, a generous plate of japchae (잡채) fuming sweetness comes…
… with two stylish inox cups of miyuk gook (미역국). Whether or not it can enhance my brain function, it well enhances the sizzling goodness of the dolsot bibimbap (돌솥비빔밥).
White rice mixed with veggies, beef strips, egg, and gochujang (고추장) until crimson has been Mudpie’s No.1 favorite for a while now. He treasures every spoonful and guards the forming crust at the bottom against any careless scooping. At the end he then scrapes and eats the well seasoned crust with the joy of children eating s’mores. He orders it almost every time we go to a Korean restaurant, I feel like he should have a bibimbap blog much like Adam Kuban with Slice. And he claims this dolsot bibimbap is the best he’s had.
Meanwhile I am busy slurping what I have dreamed of for days: a hearty beef soup. A bowl of wet steamed rice comes with the galbi tang (갈비탕), but I wish they had given me more. The rice goes quickly as I pour the mild yet sensuous broth over it, with a piece of meltingly soft short rib, and maybe a bit of kimchi. I even eat the shiny green chives, since they now taste so sweet.
When I get near the end of the big soup bowl, a pleasant surprise surfaces: a small bundle of dangmyeon (당면 cellophane noodle) has been there all along, soft, clear, quietly soaking up flavors from the darling broth. I have rarely felt more gluttonously satisfied after a meal dined out.
Address: Secret Garden (Bi Won Restaurant)
3430 El Camino Real
Santa Clara, CA 95051
(408) 244-5020
Money matters: $26.11 – dinner and happiness for two.
I am really enjoying the theme/design of your web site. Do you ever run into any browser compatibility issues? A handful of my blog readers have complained about my site not working correctly in Explorer but looks great in Chrome. Do you have any advice to help fix this issue?
1I really enjoy examining on this web site, it has got good posts. “Don’t put too fine a point to your wit for fear it should get blunted.” by Miguel de Cervantes.
2Greetings! Very helpful advice on this article! It is the little changes that make the biggest changes. Thanks a lot for sharing!
3The next time I read a blog, I hope that it doesnt disappoint me as much as this one. I mean, I know it was my choice to read, but I actually thought youd have something interesting to say. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something that you could fix if you werent too busy looking for attention.
4I truly appreciate your work, Great post.
5I am often to blogging and i really appreciate your content. The article has really peaks my interest. I am going to bookmark your site and keep checking for new information.
6I am really enjoying the theme/design of your website. Do you ever run into any browser compatibility problems? A handful of my blog audience have complained about my site not working correctly in Explorer but looks great in Safari. Do you have any suggestions to help fix this issue?
7Very interesting topic, thankyou for posting.
8Hmm it looks like your website ate my first comment (it was super long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I submitted and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I as well am an aspiring blog blogger but I’m still new to the whole thing. Do you have any recommendations for novice blog writers? I’d definitely appreciate it.
9I reckon something genuinely interesting about your website so I saved to bookmarks.
10Hello! I just would like to give a huge thumbs up for the great info you have here on this post. I will be coming back to your blog for more soon.
11There is perceptibly a bundle to identify about this. I believe you made certain nice points in features also.
12Good blog! I truly love how it is easy on my eyes and the data are well written. I am wondering how I might be notified whenever a new post has been made. I’ve subscribed to your RSS which must do the trick! Have a nice day!
13Do you mind if I quote a couple of your posts as long as I provide credit and sources back to your site? My website is in the exact same area of interest as yours and my visitors would genuinely benefit from a lot of the information you present here. Please let me know if this okay with you. Many thanks!
14I really appreciate this post. I have been looking everywhere for this! Thank goodness I found it on Bing. You’ve made my day! Thx again!
15I am really enjoying the theme/design of your website. Do you ever run into any internet browser compatibility problems? A small number of my blog audience have complained about my website not working correctly in Explorer but looks great in Firefox. Do you have any advice to help fix this problem?
16Excellent post. I was checking constantly this blog and I’m impressed! Extremely helpful info particularly the ultimate phase 🙂 I deal with such information much. I was seeking this certain info for a very lengthy time. Thanks and good luck.
17I’m usually to blogging and i really recognize your content. The article has actually peaks my interest. I am going to bookmark your web site and preserve checking for brand spanking new information.
18Some truly nice and utilitarian info on this internet site, also I believe the design contains excellent features.
19I truly appreciate this post. I’ve been looking all over for this! Thank goodness I found it on Bing. You have made my day! Thank you again!
20Thank you a lot for providing individuals with such a special opportunity to read critical reviews from this site. It is always so superb plus jam-packed with a good time for me and my office peers to visit your site the equivalent of thrice a week to read through the latest issues you have. And lastly, I’m so always contented with all the eye-popping secrets you serve. Some 2 ideas in this post are in truth the most beneficial we’ve had.
21I am continuously invstigating online for posts that can assist me. Thank you!
22Valuable information. Lucky me I discovered your site unintentionally, and I am shocked why this twist of fate did not happened earlier! I bookmarked it.
23Just wanna input on few general things, The website design is perfect, the written content is really superb : D.
24Really clean internet site, thankyou for this post.
25I view something really special in this web site.
26WONDERFUL Post.thanks for share..extra wait .. …
27I really enjoy looking through on this site, it has got fantastic content. “It is easy to be nice, even to an enemy – from lack of character.” by Dag Hammarskjld.
28Thank you for sharing excellent informations. Your site is very cool. I am impressed by the details that you have on this website. It reveals how nicely you understand this subject. Bookmarked this web page, will come back for extra articles. You, my friend, ROCK! I found just the info I already searched all over the place and just couldn’t come across. What a perfect web site.
29Good site! I truly love how it is simple on my eyes and the data are well written. I am wondering how I could be notified whenever a new post has been made. I have subscribed to your RSS feed which must do the trick! Have a great day!
30Hello would you mind sharing which blog platform you’re using? I’m looking to start my own blog soon but I’m having a difficult time selecting between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your design seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something unique. P.S Sorry for being off-topic but I had to ask!
31The next time I read a blog, I hope that it doesnt disappoint me as much as this one. I mean, I know it was my choice to read, but I actually thought youd have something interesting to say. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something that you could fix if you werent too busy looking for attention.
32Utterly composed subject matter, thanks for information .
33I just could not depart your site prior to suggesting that I extremely enjoyed the standard information a person provide for your visitors? Is gonna be back often in order to check up on new posts
34Hi, Neat post. There’s a problem with your web site in internet explorer, would test this… IE still is the market leader and a large portion of people will miss your magnificent writing due to this problem.
35That is the best weblog for anyone who desires to find out about this topic. You notice so much its virtually onerous to argue with you (not that I truly would need…HaHa). You definitely put a new spin on a topic thats been written about for years. Nice stuff, just nice!
36I’ve been surfing online more than three hours nowadays, but I by no means discovered any fascinating article like yours. It’s beautiful value enough for me. In my opinion, if all site owners and bloggers made just right content material as you probably did, the internet can be much more helpful than ever before.
37I think other website owners should take this web site as an model, very clean and wonderful user genial style and design.
38Hello there! I could have sworn I’ve been to this site before but after reading through some of the post I realized it’s new to me. Anyways, I’m definitely glad I found it and I’ll be bookmarking and checking back frequently!
39of course like your web site however you have to test the spelling on several of your posts. A number of them are rife with spelling issues and I find it very troublesome to inform the truth however I’ll definitely come back again.
40he blog was how do i say it… relevant, finally something that helped me. Thanks
41The next time I read a blog, I hope that it doesnt disappoint me as much as this one. I mean, I know it was my choice to read, but I actually thought youd have something interesting to say. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something that you could fix if you werent too busy looking for attention.
42Some really marvelous work on behalf of the owner of this website , absolutely great subject matter.
43Terrific work! This is the type of information that should be shared around the net. Shame on Google for not positioning this post higher! Come on over and visit my web site . Thanks =)
44There are some fascinating closing dates on this article but I don’t know if I see all of them middle to heart. There may be some validity however I’ll take hold opinion till I look into it further. Good article , thanks and we wish more! Added to FeedBurner as nicely
45Hi, i think that i saw you visited my website so i came to “return the favor”.I’m trying to find things to enhance my site!I suppose its ok to use a few of your ideas!!
46What’s Happening i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I’ve found It absolutely helpful and it has aided me out loads. I hope to contribute & help other users like its helped me. Great job.
47This design is spectacular! You obviously know how to keep a reader amused. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Wonderful job. I really enjoyed what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
48Awsome blog! I am loving it!! Will come back again. I am bookmarking your feeds also
49I simply could not leave your site before suggesting that I extremely loved the usual info a person supply to your guests? Is going to be again frequently to check up on new posts.
50