Recently I learned two facts about Mongolian barbecue that I think you should know.
* Mongolian Grill-style restaurants don’t serve authentic Mongolian food. But there is real Mongolian barbecue, called [Khorkhog](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khorkhog):
> To make khorkhog, Mongolians take lamb (goat meat can be substituted) and cut it into pieces of convenient size, leaving the bone. Then the cook puts ten to twenty fist-sized rocks in a fire. When the rocks are hot enough, the rocks and the meat are placed in the chosen cooking container. Metal milk jugs are a traditional choice, although any container sturdy enough to hold the hot rocks will serve.
* There is, in fact, a BD’s Mongolian Barbecue restaurant in Ulan Bataar:
It’s halfway between the California Restaurant and the Rockmon Building, if you’re in the neighborhood.
Isn’t Urbanspoon a wonder. There seems to be an Irish pub in the larger map, too….
I am totally going there for lunch.
Mongolians barbecue marmots too: http://www.pilotguides.com/destination_guide/asia/mongolia/marmot.php
They’re pretty plentiful in the woods around here, and they’re nice and fat in August and September…
I’ve actually eaten there. Our local guides thought it’s what Americans would want. It resulted in massive food poisoning.
Ah, memories.
A friend of mine who lived in Darkhan, Mongolia (for Peace Corps) reported that the national meat is not actually lamb, but rather full-grown mutton. He said the taste is relatively gamey and greasy. Andrew might be interested to hear that my friend, too, came home early because he got sick.