# Share your Mongolian BBQ knowledge



## Torm (Feb 22, 2005)

Got a restaurant with really good or really lousy Mongolian BBQ nearby? Got one that's in another state, but is sooo good you drive there occasionally _anyway_?  Please tell me about it!

Got a recipe you use for Mongolian BBQ at home? Post that, too. I'll start:

RESTAURANTS:
Fayetteville, NC has a chain restaurant called BD's Mongolian BBQ, that has pretty decent BBQ. They have a huge variety of meats, veggies, sauces, and spices to play with. The downside is that they aren't very careful about allowing your food to get a little mixed with your "grill neighbor's" - this sometimes results in me getting meats and vegetables I don't want, and has, in the past, resulted in my "grill neighbor's" food being completely ruined for them. (I like mine *SPICY*.) They also have a tendency to be very loud while they cook, banging the utensils and such, and they encourage the cooks to be loud and obnoxious as well. I guess this is supposed to be "atmosphere", and I regard it much the same way I do the atmosphere of Venus - I acknowledge that it IS atmosphere, but I just don't want to breathe it any longer than I have to. Really good food, though, if somewhat Americanized. And they have locations in other states, too.

Charleston, SC has a place actually _called_ "Mongolian Barbecue" on Rivers Ave. They have a Mongolian BBQ that comes at one price with a pretty good Chinese buffet. They have a decent (and more traditional) selection of meats and sauces than BD's, and a calmer dining environment. They still have the same problem with "grill neighbors" on occasion, but less often, in my experience.

Columbia, SC has a place that is so horrible (very limited meat and veggie selection, almost no sauces, NO decent ones, and I was uncomfortable with their lack of cleanliness), I didn't even bother to remember the name of it, but I can tell you this: if you ever start to go to a Chinese restaurant someplace in Columbia called the BOOZER Shopping Center, turn right around, get back on Broad River Rd, go to the other side of I20, and eat at the Monterrey Mexican Restaurant. And forget about Chinese entirely that day. Or, pop up 26 a bit to the Columbiana Mall, and eat at the Chinese place _in the food court_ - it is FAR superior. :\ 

Wake Forest, NC has a place called "Bali Hai" that I found to be pretty abysmal - VERY limited selection of meats and veggies, and a very limited selection of sauces that they won't even let _you_ touch! You have to let the cook do it. :\ Ungood.

Springfield, MO has a place called Jade Dynasty that has a decent Mongolian BBQ, once again as part of a Chinese buffet price. The BBQ itself is minimal - they get by with a minimum of what I consider necessary to even call it a Mongolian BBQ, as far as meat and sauce selection goes. But what there is, is good, and the lack of selection is made up for by it being accompanied by an excellent atmosphere and one of the best Chinese buffets I've been to anywhere. (And I've been to more than a few all over the country east of about Kansas.) And their price is very reasonable, too.

The best I ever had, speaking strictly on the quality of the BBQ itself, was a toss-up between a place called _Diamond Head_, also in Springfield, MO, and a place called _Szechuan Palace_ in Murrell's Inlet, SC - but sadly, they have both gone the way of the dodo.

RECIPE "SECRETS: Lots of BBQ places have a "House Sauce" that they won't tell you the ingredients for. I've found that the House of Tsang Sweet Sesame Ginger Hibachi Sauce that you can find at most Super Wal-marts works pretty well as a substitute, although you'll want to thin it down by mixing it with a little chicken broth (even if you're using it to cook other-than-chicken). Also, I've found that Steak-Umms work pretty well to replicate that shaved steak a lot of them use - although I have to get them _almost_ to brown and drain all the grease off, first, to minimize the excess grease.

Alright - your turn.


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## EricNoah (Feb 22, 2005)

I am devoid of such a restaurant in the area, though I would love to eat at one.  Closest thing I'm aware of around here was Big Bowl, and ours went out of business suddenly.  

Madison has a ton of ethnic restaurants, but I've always been underwhelmed with the Chinese ones I've been to.  I'm probably just going to the wrong places.


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## Desdichado (Feb 22, 2005)

BD's is actually a chain that originated up here in suburban Detroit.  I've eaten at a few other locations here and there (Plano, TX being the most recent) but my favorite is the Dearborn location.  Luckily that's the one that's also closest to work, and I have a supplier that was fixated on it to the point that he took me there every chance he got.

I've never had an issue with mixing of foods there, and the employees aren't really _that_ loud at our local outlets.  I've had Mongo BBQ at various and numerous other locations here and there, but I don't remember the names of many of them.  The local BD's is head and shoulders above any others I've tried.  Sorry the NC location isn't better; I had the same experience out of state, so maybe it's just too far from the Corporate HQ or something.  Dunno.  I also like mine super spicy (as an aside, one of my proudest moments was when the griller had to turn away because his eyes were burning while cooking my food! )  I tend to put all kinds of things on mine that are extremely anti-authentic.  I start with some Italian noodles and sausage, crawfish, lamb and occasionally grouper or crab, put some green beans, lots of onions, pineapple and a few other vegetables.  _Tons_ of fresh cut garlic (my wife always knows if I've been eating there as I come home from work with olour d' garlic oozing from my pores), cajun and carribean powdered spices, lemon pepper, red pepper, lemon juice, teriyaki sauce, bbq sauce, kung pao sauce, and various others.  To be honest with you, they changed all their sauces a year or two ago and I haven't really settled on a combination yet, so I still mix up a lot of other things.

Damn, y'all are making me hungry.  My wife's out of town for the week and I ate Hamburger Helper for dinner tonight.  Anyone ever in Detroit, give me a hollar and we can hook up for some BD's at any time.  I don't need much of an excuse...


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## Umbran (Feb 22, 2005)

I don't know from Mongolian BBQ.  Every time I ask an afficonado what it is, I get a different answer.  Some say there's supposed to be a wide variety of sauces and meats, others say there's not supposed to be any.  In the end, I'm not so much interested in how traditional it is.  I'm interested in if I like the food I end up with.

Fire and Ice is my favorite local restaurant that I've been told is similar to Mongolian BBQ.


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## Torm (Feb 22, 2005)

Joshua Dyal said:
			
		

> Sorry the NC location isn't better. <snip> I start with some Italian noodles and sausage, crawfish, lamb and occasionally grouper or crab, put some green beans, lots of onions, pineapple and a few other vegetables.  _Tons_ of fresh cut garlic (my wife always knows if I've been eating there as I come home from work with olour d' garlic oozing from my pores), cajun and carribean powdered spices, lemon pepper, red pepper, lemon juice, teriyaki sauce, bbq sauce, kung pao sauce, and various others.  To be honest with you, they changed all their sauces a year or two ago and I haven't really settled on a combination yet, so I still mix up a lot of other things.



The NC location is sooo bad..... that I still drive 3hrs round trip once every couple of months to go there.  It is, in fact, the BBQ I go to the most often, now. But in my mind, every place with BBQ gets compared to the place I mentioned in Missouri, Diamond Head, and BD's just doesn't come close when it comes to the atmosphere or the masterful wok work of the cooks there. The other place, Szechuan Palace, came close, and sometimes even beat them - and alas, they're _both_ gone now. Too much put into quality for not enough profit, probably. :\

Whenever I go to BD's, I _always_ do either chicken or beef, with garlic oil, black bean sauce, soy sauce, and teriyaki sauce (1 ladle of each), and plenty of garlic, chile powder, seasoned salt, lemon, a little bit of ginger, and a little hit of the red hot sauce. I wish they had chile oil (aka Mongolian Fire Oil), but eh.


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## Mirth (Feb 22, 2005)

Torm said:
			
		

> Wake Forest, NC has a place called "Bali Hai" that I found to be pretty abysmal - VERY limited selection of meats and veggies, and a very limited selection of sauces that they won't even let _you_ touch! You have to let the cook do it. :\ Ungood.




When I was an undergrad at NC State in the mid-late 80s, Bali Hai used to be closer to downtown and was pretty damn good. Too bad it stinks now.


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## Desdichado (Feb 22, 2005)

Wow, it's always fun to find another hot sauce aficionado.  There's so few around anymore since I came here from Texas.  :\

Yeah, that chile oil is pretty good stuff.  One of the things I do like about BD's actually, is (at least at my nearest location) they have a dozen or so "additional" sauces at the counter; mostly commercial stuff as workaday as Tabasco and as exotic as strange Chinese tiger sauces and the like.  Lately I've been experimenting with what those do to my bowl too.


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## Torm (Feb 22, 2005)

Umbran said:
			
		

> I don't know from Mongolian BBQ.  Every time I ask an afficonado what it is, I get a different answer.



Probably the result of two things: 1. Some people confuse Mongolian BBQ for the menu item "Mongolian Beef", which, when cooked properly is very good, but not the same thing, and 2. Some BBQ places I've been to (and usually not ones I go back to) ask you to make a couple of decisions, if that, and then bring something to the table they call "Mongolian BBQ." But if you didn't pick what went in your bowl, or at least have the option to do so before turning the bowl over to the chef for him to "expertly" sauce (Which I don't recommend except for the newest noobs - who knows your tastes better than you? Watch him once or twice, then the next time, play with it and change according to your tastes. Unless he hits it perfectly, of course.  ), it isn't really Mongolian BBQ.

Looked at the site for Fire+Ice, and it looks almost identical to a BD's Mongolian BBQ - which is to say, a very Americanized Mongolian BBQ. Probably pretty good, if they offer sauces that are worthwhile and know their grill. If I'm ever up that way, I'll definitely try it. Thanks.


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## Torm (Feb 22, 2005)

Mirth said:
			
		

> When I was an undergrad at NC State in the mid-late 80s, Bali Hai used to be closer to downtown and was pretty damn good. Too bad it stinks now.



Yeah, I was told by a few people online that it was really, really good - it's what inspired me to go there at all. And after I got back and reported my experience, they pretty much all said what you just said - they had it in the late 80's or very early 90's. Things _changed_. :\


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## Desdichado (Feb 22, 2005)

What does Bali Hai have to do with Mongolia, anyway?  Shouldn't there be U.S. Navy troops and South Pacific islanders singing Broadway musicals at that place?


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## Darrin Drader (Feb 22, 2005)

The best Mongolian I've ever had is Chang's Mongolian Grill in Renton WA. You get to pick your meat, veggies, sauces and oils. The noodles are slightly singed, and it's absolutely delicious. Were it not for that place, I would have no appreciation for Mongolian BBQ. Now its one of my favorite foods.


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## Desdichado (Feb 22, 2005)

Whisperfoot said:
			
		

> The best Mongolian I've ever had is Chang's Mongolian Grill in Renton WA. You get to pick your meat, veggies, sauces and oils.



Yes.  Because otherwise it wouldn't be Mongolian BBQ at all.


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## MonsterMash (Feb 22, 2005)

There is one in Covent Garden in London - which I'm not too impressed by.

Same idea, but better execution in London is Tiger Lil's Flaming Woks with three branches (Islington and two others).


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## MrFilthyIke (Feb 22, 2005)

If anyone knows any good Mongolian BBQ in Florida, shout it out.  I've only been to a couple, but none even look close to BD's (I've never been to BD's).


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## Cthulhu's Librarian (Feb 22, 2005)

The best Mongolian BBQ I've had was in Williamsburg, VA. Granted, I haven't had it in lots of places (4 or 5), but that is definitly the best that I've had yet. The place is called Peking Chinese Restauarant and Mongolian Barbeque, or something similar. It used to be two seperate restaurants (Peking Chinese, and The Mongolian Barbeque) that combined into one huge restauarant serving all sorts of Asian foods. Whenever we are in Williamsburg, which is several times a year, we stop there to eat, and I always eat far too much food and then make my wife drive the remaining 3 hours home while I nap in the car.


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## Desdichado (Feb 22, 2005)

MrFilthyIke said:
			
		

> If anyone knows any good Mongolian BBQ in Florida, shout it out.  I've only been to a couple, but none even look close to BD's (I've never been to BD's).



Speaking of locations, I just surfed over to BD's website and it says that they've got a location in progress in Ulaan Baatar!  That's just wild...


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## ragboy (Feb 22, 2005)

Joshua Dyal said:
			
		

> Yeah, that chile oil is pretty good stuff.




My first exposure to chile oil was at the Mongolian BBQ here in Austin (on North Lamar). After that I started buying it, then making it myself. 

When we first started going there, the cooks _looked_ like these crazy Mongolian warriors cooking your food on their giant upturned shield... But, either way it's still great eating. I think I may go there today.. .mmmm.


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## MrFilthyIke (Feb 22, 2005)

Joshua Dyal said:
			
		

> Speaking of locations, I just surfed over to BD's website and it says that they've got a location in progress in Ulaan Baatar!  That's just wild...




I saw that...wonder if actual Mongolians will be offended or not.


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## Desdichado (Feb 22, 2005)

ragboy said:
			
		

> I think I may go there today.. .mmmm.



To paraphrase Charleton Heston, "God damn you, ragboy! Damn you! God damn you all to hell!"


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## ghettognome (Feb 22, 2005)

The first one I ever went to was BD's in Naperville, IL. I liked it.
Khan's in Roseville MN (outside Minneapolis) is decent. They charge a couple dollars more, but then it is all you can eat. They seemed to do a good job at keeping it separate.
I was recently at one near downtown Austin. It was okay, not a very large selection of stuff, but I still enjoyed it. I will have to check out the other one mentioned earlier in this post off of Lamar.


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## Henry (Feb 22, 2005)

I saw the words "Mongolian BBQ", and without looking I KNEW who had started this thread.


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## Scotley (Feb 22, 2005)

We've got several places in the Memphis/Mid-South area that do this. No dedicated Its a sideline for all of them. They are more or less traditional chinese places that offer it, often in conjunction with a buffet. None is a spectacular stand out, but all have at least 3 or 4 meat choices, 6-10 vegies, and a handful of spice options. Generally you pile it on a plate and take it to the chef who cooks it and adds from a collection of sauces as you request. You get to advise during the process and one place will let you sample then re-spice as needed. Memphis is overun with asian food. Asian is likely just behind burgers, hotwings and fried chicken in frequency here. Lots of Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Indian, and one Pakastani. We only have one Korean place that I know of, but if you like the mongolian bit you should really check out Korean BBQ were each table has its own Habachi and you order the meat and spices then cook it yourself with sides of various spicy pickled vegetables that often defy identification. The best Korean BBQ I ever had was just off the strip in Vegas in a little hole in the wall that was part of an old motel. We were the only non-asians in the place and very little english could be heard, but the food was first rate and a real bargin. Sorry I can't remember the name. Mmm, time to get out of this thread before I start to drool.


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## John Q. Mayhem (Feb 22, 2005)

I like Mongolian BBQ, but in a very non-normal way...just noodles, lots of meat, and sauces (mostly hot sauce).

I love hot sauce. I eat it on practically everything...burgers, subs, sandwiches of all kinds, chicken and rice, mmmmmm...


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## MrFilthyIke (Feb 22, 2005)

John Q. Mayhem said:
			
		

> I love hot sauce. I eat it on practically everything...burgers, subs, sandwiches of all kinds, chicken and rice, mmmmmm...




Hmmm, burn, tearful hot sauces...*drool*


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## Felix (Feb 22, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> The best Mongolian BBQ I've had was in Williamsburg, VA.



Goodness gracious yes. That place and the cheese fries at Paul's Deli made my tenure at William and Mary bearable.


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## Desdichado (Feb 22, 2005)

John Q. Mayhem said:
			
		

> I love hot sauce. I eat it on practically everything...burgers, subs, sandwiches of all kinds, chicken and rice, mmmmmm...



You, sir, are the man.

My oldest son, when he was four, used to flip waitresses out all the time.  When we went to a place like Chili's or Red Robin or something like that, he'd always ask for Tabasco sauce instead of ketchup for his fries.

Yep, that's how we raise 'em in the Dyal household!


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## MrFilthyIke (Feb 22, 2005)

That's the way, raise them on spices.  I was raised in a household where "Spice" meant salt and black pepper, and that's it.  I've got years of catching up to do.


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## Desdichado (Feb 22, 2005)

Yeah, in our house, spice means sauces like "Dave's Insanity Sauce" or "Colon Blow: A Habanero Pepper Enema" or "Kick Yo' Ass" or "Rectal Rocket" all referring to the unfortunate side effects of eating too much of it.  Or my homemade chimichurri, or something like that, which actually isn't that hot, but it's made of nothing but spice, essentially.  Or my home-made brisquet (and other meat) rub.  My wife's got a pretty impressive (spice) rack in the kitchen too.


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## MrFilthyIke (Feb 22, 2005)

Joshua Dyal said:
			
		

> Yeah, in our house, spice means sauces like "Dave's Insanity Sauce" or "Colon Blow: A Habanero Pepper Enema" or "Kick Yo' Ass" or "Rectal Rocket" all referring to the unfortunate side effects of eating too much of it.  Or my homemade chimichurri, or something like that, which actually isn't that hot, but it's made of nothing but spice, essentially.  Or my home-made brisquet (and other meat) rub.  My wife's got a pretty impressive (spice) rack in the kitchen too.




Good stuff.  In Orlando, I used to live at Tiajuana Flats who brought us Smack My Ass And Call Me Sally...The Slap Heard around the World.  Their other sauces are also good.


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## Desdichado (Feb 22, 2005)

I've had some of that!  It's devilishly hard to find up here, though... it's been a long time.


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## Torm (Feb 22, 2005)

John Q. Mayhem said:
			
		

> I like Mongolian BBQ, but in a very non-normal way...just noodles, lots of meat, and sauces (mostly hot sauce).



That's me, too, except I leave out the noodles - I prefer to eat it mixed with some white rice. And I do usually kick in about 3 or 4 scallions, 4 slivers of onion, and 3 or 4 pieces of green pepper. But they aren't for eating - I consider them part of the saucing. 

At home I'll sometimes throw some pizza-topping-style jarred mushrooms in, too. (Drained, of course.) They act like little, almost otherwise flavorless, sponges for the sauce, and provide little explosions of boosted flavor. I don't do this at the restaurants, though - the mushrooms they use are generally a different type, too flavorful in their own right. A flavor I find unappealing.



			
				Cthulhu's Librarian and then agreed with by Felix said:
			
		

> The best Mongolian BBQ I've had was in Williamsburg, VA.



::looks for an excuse to go to Williamsburg:: Um, there's like, a lot of important historical stuff for the kids to see there, too. Right? RIGHT?  



			
				Henry said:
			
		

> I saw the words "Mongolian BBQ", and without looking I KNEW who had started this thread.



Well, duh.


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## MrFilthyIke (Feb 22, 2005)

Joshua Dyal said:
			
		

> I've had some of that!  It's devilishly hard to find up here, though... it's been a long time.




Define "up here".  I'm heading to MegaCon in Orlando this weekend.  If you want some, email me (mrfilthyike A-T gmail D-O-T com) and tell me what you want from Tijuana Flats.  I'll pick some up and we'll do an eBay style transaction.


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## Desdichado (Feb 22, 2005)

MrFilthyIke said:
			
		

> Define "up here".  I'm heading to MegaCon in Orlando this weekend.  If you want some, email me (mrfilthyike A-T gmail D-O-T com) and tell me what you want from Tijuana Flats.  I'll pick some up and we'll do an eBay style transaction.



Define up here - home of the Superbowl XL!    Detroit.  _Not_ known for it's hot sauce.  I'll try and send you an email before the weekend.  Are you set up to recieve payments on Paypal?


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## MrFilthyIke (Feb 22, 2005)

Joshua Dyal said:
			
		

> Define up here - home of the Superbowl XL!    Detroit.  _Not_ known for it's hot sauce.  I'll try and send you an email before the weekend.  Are you set up to recieve payments on Paypal?




I don't do Paypal, we'll make arangements by email.


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## Henry (Feb 22, 2005)

MrFilthyIke said:
			
		

> I don't do Paypal, we'll make arangements by email.




And not to sound like a broken record, but that's what I love about this place. Start off talking D&D, end up exchanging hot sauce recipes.


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## Desdichado (Feb 22, 2005)

Yeah, although I'm still considering making a quick stop by BD's this afternoon for a bowl of mongolian BBQ, since I didn't have any lunch.    This place isn't always good on my wallet.


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## Cthulhu's Librarian (Feb 22, 2005)

Felix said:
			
		

> Goodness gracious yes. That place and the cheese fries at Paul's Deli made my tenure at William and Mary bearable.




What year were you? My wife went to W&M, and graduated in 97.


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## Cthulhu's Librarian (Feb 22, 2005)

Torm said:
			
		

> ::looks for an excuse to go to Williamsburg:: Um, there's like, a lot of important historical stuff for the kids to see there, too. Right? RIGHT?




Yeah, lots of historical stuff, and Busch Gardens amusement park too. Let me know when you're going, and we'll make a trip and meet you for dinner.


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## Desdichado (Feb 22, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> Yeah, lots of historical stuff, and Busch Gardens amusement park too. Let me know when you're going, and we'll make a trip and meet you for dinner.



Didn't I just say this place causes me to spend more money?  Crap!  Now _*I'm*_ tempted to drive to Williamsburg...


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## johnsemlak (Feb 22, 2005)

Moscow has an excellent Mongolian (actually more Tartar) BBQ chain.  Lots of meat choices, including horse, eggs (which you can have cooked with the meat+veggies or fried on the side), lots of veggie choices, all kinds of herbs and sauces, and my favorite condiment--peanuts.  I always add a bunch of those.  Don't know how Mongolian it is, but I like it.

 One of the few ethnic cuisines that is done very well in teh city.


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## MrFilthyIke (Feb 22, 2005)

johnsemlak said:
			
		

> Moscow has an excellent Mongolian (actually more Tartar) BBQ chain.  Lots of meat choices, including horse, eggs (which you can have cooked with the meat+veggies or fried on the side), lots of veggie choices, all kinds of herbs and sauces, and my favorite condiment--peanuts.  I always add a bunch of those.  Don't know how Mongolian it is, but I like it.
> 
> One of the few ethnic cuisines that is done very well in teh city.
> 
> In the M




Now YOU'RE Mongolian BBQ sounds a hell of a lot tastier than the Stateside stuff...Mmmm, must go to Moscow...


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## MrFilthyIke (Feb 22, 2005)

Henry said:
			
		

> And not to sound like a broken record, but that's what I love about this place. Start off talking D&D, end up exchanging hot sauce recipes.




Sweet, ain't it.


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## MrFilthyIke (Feb 22, 2005)

Joshua Dyal said:
			
		

> Didn't I just say this place causes me to spend more money?  Crap!  Now _*I'm*_ tempted to drive to Williamsburg...




If D&D doesn't break your bank, the buffet will. 

Hell, I can fly into PHF (Newport News) any time I want...WHERE was this place again?


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## Uzumaki (Feb 23, 2005)

Great Kahn's Mongolian BBQ is the only one I know around here. I'd reckon it's all tasty stuff. This place has a selection of beef, pork, chicken, or turkey for the meats; the vegetables available are water chesnuts (pile 'em on), bell peppers, carrots, tomatoes, onion, sprouts, tofu, and a few more I'm probably forgetting. Sauces are the G.K Souace (house recipe), soy, lemon sauce, hot sauce, really hot sauce, and a bunch of garlic. And of course, noodles, which are dished out by a waiter who will usually give you buttloads if you ask nicely for them.   

Atmosphere is standard of a fast food place. No Mongolian decorations, but it's clean. The grills are scraped clean after a couple of fries, and only one dish is cooked up at a time, so you don't get any of your plate mixed up with anyone else's. It's a little on the expensive side at $7.00 for an entree and a drink, but I always cram the bowl until it's overflowing, so I feel like I get my money's worth.


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## Desdichado (Feb 23, 2005)

Wow, choose from four meats, huh?  (Can you detect the sarcasm?)   I'm used to _using_ four different meats -- from a selection of about 15.  Beef, pork, chicken and turkey is good to start, but you need to add New York Strip Steak, Porterhouse steak, shrimp, crawfish, grouper, crab, duck, lamb, scallops, calamari, and -- I know I'm forgetting one or two -- to compete with what I'm used to.


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## Torm (Feb 23, 2005)

Joshua Dyal said:
			
		

> Wow, choose from four meats, huh?  (Can you detect the sarcasm?)   I'm used to _using_ four different meats -- from a selection of about 15.  Beef, pork, chicken and turkey is good to start, but you need to add New York Strip Steak, Porterhouse steak, shrimp, crawfish, grouper, crab, duck, lamb, scallops, calamari, and -- I know I'm forgetting one or two -- to compete with what I'm used to.



Right - BD's makes up in quantity of selection where they fail in quality. The _best_ BBQ's I've been to have only offered four meats - usually shaved beef, shaved chicken, shaved pork, and shrimp. And a chef that is expert with each one's nuances and gives each dish a great deal of individual attention.

BD's is good, but I always get aggitated when they sit my food on the grill and then _walk away_ for extended periods of time - there's nothing worse than knowing from experience that I picked ingredients that *could* have been a _masterpiece_, and instead they resulted in dried up, overcooked (if still delicious on a more pedestrian level) meat.

I just realized rereading that that I am a Mongolian BBQ *snob*.  But you know what? So be it.


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## Desdichado (Feb 23, 2005)

Torm said:
			
		

> I just realized rereading that that I am a Mongolian BBQ *snob*.  But you know what? So be it.



Oh, me too.  Which is why I refuse to go to BD's during peak business hours where my plate doesn't get the attention it deserves, and why I cringe if someone I don't already know is good is cooking my food.

It helped to be on first name basis with the local grillers and go to lunch sometime between 10:30 and 11:00 AM.    Unfortunately, my glory days of going once a week, bantering with grillers like old friends and being hit on by meathead waitresses trying to buff up their tip are long gone.  Sadly, the turnover in employees is greater than I'd like.


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## FraserRonald (Feb 23, 2005)

There's a chain around Ontario Canada, and possibly beyond, called "The Mongolian Grill." Lots of meat choices, including seafood, a few veggies, and plenty of herbs/spices, sauces and oils. I love it. The one in twon is right by the University of Waterloo on University Ave.

Good times.


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## Umbran (Feb 23, 2005)

Joshua Dyal said:
			
		

> Wow, choose from four meats, huh?  (Can you detect the sarcasm?)   I'm used to _using_ four different meats -- from a selection of about 15.






			
				Torm said:
			
		

> The best BBQ's I've been to have only offered four meats - usually shaved beef, shaved chicken, shaved pork, and shrimp.





This is _exactly_ what I was talking about when I said afficionadoes gave me diffeent answers.  It's like the old chili "beans/no-beans" arguements.


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## Desdichado (Feb 23, 2005)

Umbran said:
			
		

> This is _exactly_ what I was talking about when I said afficionadoes gave me diffeent answers.  It's like the old chili "beans/no-beans" arguements.



Which is another argument I'd be willing to chime in on.


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## John Q. Mayhem (Feb 23, 2005)

Umbran said:
			
		

> It's like the old chili "beans/no-beans" arguements.




What arguement? Who'd ever ruin a good chile with fiiiiiiilthy _legumes_?

*saunters away whistling nonchalantly...*


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## CarlZog (Feb 23, 2005)

The only one that I know of in our neighborhood is called _*Fire and Ice. *_But they don't call it a Mongolian Grill; they call it "and improvisational grill." It's a little on the trendy side..

It's a good selection of food and sauces and they do special "theme" stuff now and then, like a cajun selection that included alligator and some really good sauce.

The grillers aren't particularly great (They have a tendency to overcook).

The decor is very funky. I think the place is a chain.

I haven't been to many other Mongolian BBQs, but this one is a good time.


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