Asian cuisine in Syracuse is usually synonymous with a take-out order at the Bleu Monkey Café or a stop at Sakana-Ya for a bite of pricey chicken teriyaki. But Korean-Japanese restaurant Secret Garden lets you try more exotic foods without completely leaving your comfort zone. Flavorful appetizers, fresh sushi and reasonably priced entrees make for a delicious, family-style meal.

Open seven days a week, the restaurant sits next to Han’s Oriental Grocery at 2731 Erie Blvd. Last Wednesday, we arrived hungry. The restaurant’s small door, flanked by wooden posts surrounding the Secret Garden name, makes it appear small. But when we stepped inside, we were surprised by the spacious room, filled with several wooden tables, booths and seating at the sushi bar. Half of the tables were full, and we chose to sit in a booth, which provided a cozy atmosphere to share a conversation. The low hum of talking in the background did not disrupt our meal.

The helpful and tentative staff answered our questions when we asked about the Korean appetizers. We chose to share several dishes.

To start, we ordered the ddeok bok gi ($6.95), steamed rice cakes in a spicy sauce. First, the server brought out five (free) Korean banchan, or side dishes. Tiny, white bowls held kimchi, a cabbage dish with a slightly sweet seasoning, yellow beans, seaweed and bean sprouts. These dishes allowed us to sample foods we would have never ordered otherwise. Our favorite of the five dishes were daikon radishes marinated in ginger, vinegar, sugar and salt. The surprisingly sweet dish contrasted with the salty seaweed. The rice cakes, dipped in tangy chili sauce, had the same texture of al dente pasta.

The next course arrived while we were munching on appetizers. Yaki Soba ($12.95), a noodle dish with shrimp and vegetables, looked like Chinese lo mein but tasted less greasy and salty. Our first sushi roll to arrive was the Tropical Roll ($8),medium-sized rolls wrapped with barbeque salmon, avocado and cucumber. The roll wasn’t overloaded with barbeque sauce,  complementing the sticky white rice that did not crumble apart when picked up with chopsticks

The dinner sushi special ($18) arrived last. The staff said the specials vary every night. When we saw how elaborately arranged the rolls were, we didn’t want to touch the platter. Surrounding a crab salad and seaweed salad, the rolls included an American Dream Roll, filled with tempura shrimp and topped with spicy tuna and avocado. Though it looked heavy, the roll had the right balance of spicy mayonnaise and smooth avocado. At other sushi joints,fried tempura tends to overpower a roll, but here the shrimp tempura wasn’t overly crunchy. Also included in the dish were six pieces of yellowtail, salmon and tuna sashimi —raw fish sliced over beds of rice soaked in Saki. Surveying the sushi bar, we could see it was stocked with fish. The staff informed us the rolls were made with fresh fish,which made each bite even tastier. 

Though we didn’t mind passing around each dish as it arrived, we would have preferred a little more time between our appetizers and main dishes. The combination of various rolls and the noodle dish could satisfy three people, and sharing dishes allowed us to try more. The restaurant could also serve as an ideal date getaway or a homey place to enjoy a solo meal. Secret Garden’s charm is in its name — a secluded restaurant off of Erie Boulevard. The menu features dishes you won’t find on campus. Try something new at Secret Garden, and you’re appetite and wallet will thank you.

mggallag@syr.edu

Published on February 22, 2011 at 12:00 pm