In an unassuming shopping plaza behind a 7-Eleven lies a great treasure of Beltsville, Maryland – Da Rae Won. This Korean-Chinese restaurant specializes in noodles and boasts hundreds of 5-star reviews online. On my quest to discover hidden gem restaurants in my neighborhood, Da Rae Won was the perfect place to start.
Da Rae Won’s exterior windows are plastered with photos of their popular dishes. Once inside, the newly renovated space fosters a cozy vibe, buzzing with excitement for the delicious food. I visited with my sister, Mary, at lunchtime on a Tuesday. The restaurant was bustling with groups of friends, coworkers, and families. The space filled with sounds of K-pop and the cooks pounding out the house made noodles in the kitchen (which you can watch them do through a window in the back of the dining room).
As someone who loves to plan (and whose days revolve around mealtime), I had of course looked at the menu before arriving, so I had an idea of some items I wanted to order. Our server was also extremely helpful and ready to give suggestions to first timers. We knew for appetizers we wanted to order the fried chicken wings with garlic sauce and pork dumplings (duh). Our server helped guide us in deciding our main dishes. Mary knew she wanted one of their variations of the noodles with black bean sauce, so our server directed her toward the boiled style noodles with pork and black bean sauce. I didn’t have much of an idea for my main course, so I was suggested one of their more popular dishes, the shredded beef with vegetables and crystal noodles.
With our appetizers came a tray with yellow radish, kimchi, white onion, and bean paste, accoutrements to be enjoyed with all the dishes of our meal.
The appetizers blew us out of the water. Mary and I agreed that the pork dumplings were the best dumplings we’d ever had. They had it all: texture, flavor, and beauty. The outside was impossibly crispy, hiding the warm, flavorful filling of pork and vegetables. They were even better when dipped in the chili sauce that was at the table.
Before coming, I was most excited about the fried chicken, and it did not at all disappoint. In the style of lollipop chicken, these wings were crispy with a caramelized sauce on the outside, but fall-off-the-bone tender on the inside. Garlicky, sweet, savory, sticky, and so freaking good you’ve got to lick your fingers to savor every part.
With such an amazing round of appetizers, I had high expectations for the main course – and boy did it live up to them. I cannot find all the words to describe how flavorful the shredded beef and vegetables with crystal noodles was. Each bite melted in my mouth with a buttery richness. The beef was shredded so thinly it blended in with the vegetables and thin noodles, which I absolutely loved. The vegetables created a symphony of flavor, with the onion playing the high note. This dish was also served with a broth that had a kimchi element, and Mary was obsessed with it.
The noodles with pork and black bean sauce were absolutely to die for as well. The house made noodles were the star of the show; chewy, fresh, and the perfect vehicle for sauce. The fermented yet earth flavor of the black bean paste made for a savory sauce that had a vinegary twang. The pork was melt-in-your-mouth tender and added to the delicious umami flavor of the dish. I especially loved adding a piece of cucumber or yellow radish to each bite as it introduced a brightness to the deeply flavored sauce.
We left our meal with full and happy bellies, and still lots of leftovers! For two appetizers and two entrees, our bill came out under $60, which I consider a pretty good deal for such quality food. Da Rae Won has set the bar very high as the first new restaurant I tried in my neighborhood, and this definitely will not be the last time I visit!