I was shocked when a foreign journalist recently informed me that Monrovia is home to a Korean restaurant.

For several weeks, I have been anticipating a visit to the mythical establishment, the existence of which I became quite concerned as the journalist and I had some difficulty locating it during our initial approach.

To all concerned readers, I can now confirm it does exist and is located on UN Drive on Bushrod Island, across from the Freeport and just beyond the Somalia Drive Junction.

Evergreen Restaurant is a spacious second-floor establishment, with several AC tower units churning out a frigid breeze.  On the eve of Christmas, it was decked out with a few Christmas trees, one made out of a tower of the most dignified Aqualife water bottles that have ever been assembled.

The interior of the Evergreen Restaurant. Photo: Brooks Marmon

There was a marked emphasis on interior decoration in general, with several beads and flags (Korean and Liberian) adorning the dining space.

The menu probably wins the vote for most intriguing that I’ve stumbled across.  It contained some Korean staples, three types of chicken dinners – Liberian, American, and an Indonesian version with sour cream – as well as an array of expensive Lebanese-esque sandwiches that greatly piqued my curiosity (on the presumption that the extra price means they offer a little something extra as well).

The menu at Evergreen. Photo: Brooks Marmon

When I return – and I certainly plan to – I have my sights set on the Korean seafood pizza.  The menu glowingly describes it as “pizza with such as shrimp, squid, vegetables, etc.”

For the evening at hand, the foreign journalist and I feasted on a succulent pork dish (I did not get the name, bulgogi?) and bibimbap, a bowl of rice and fresh vegetables, topped with a lightly fried egg.

The pork was tender, juicy, and well-seasoned, with portions that would have made Mama Susu proud.  The bibimbap was refreshing and simultaneously light, yet filling.

I was quite excited and enthused by several unexpected twists:

1. The food was ordered via a buzzer installed in the table
2. The rice came free with the order!
3. Several appetizers were provided on a complimentary basis!

These accessories to the meal included a lightly pickled cabbage (kimchi?), a slightly pickled cucumber spear, and sesame encrusted peanuts.

It also included a rather strange piece of flat, squarish matter that elicited echoes of a mixture of tofu, artichoke, and the slightly fermented intestines of a mammal condemned to a lifetime of no excess food consumption.

An assortment of items brought to the dining table. Photo: Kate Thomas

Evergreen offered a variety of drinks, including a handful of Korean beverages and a generous supply of Budweiser.  I settled on a Sac Sac, a sugary non-carbonated orange beverage with pulp.

A bottled Korean whiskey, which I initially mistook for juice, was also on tap and beckoned. But at US$20 a pop, I could not bring myself to sample it.

I found the feast at Evergreen’s quite tasty.  The unique fare was served promptly (arriving in less than five minutes in fact) and the atmosphere was cozy.  Prices were slightly higher than the standard upmarket Monrovia norm, with few dishes under US$15 and most hovering at US$20 a plate.

Despite its relative inaccessibility, for anyone wishing to cross over Providence Island and the Gabriel Tucker Bridge, I’d urge taking the time to partake in the Evergreen’s Korean cuisine.

Featured photo by Kate Thomas.