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Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Mongo Mongo Mongolian BBQ opens in Midtown
by Brandon Darnell, published on January 9, 2012 at 10:52 PM
Storyline: Local Business
Community Tags
asian
barbecue
bbq
business
food
j street
midtown
mongo mongo mongolian bbq
restaurant
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Mongo Mongo Mongolian BBQ restaurant at 19th and J streets opened Saturday, and owner Jonathan Ng said he is pleased with the customer turnout.
“It’s been good, we’re really excited to be open,” Ng said Monday.
Much of the interior design still needs to be finished, Ng said, but getting the restaurant open and focusing on the food was the top priority.
“It’s kind of barren, but we’re working on it,” Ng said, adding that interior décor details are being worked out.
In order to keep the garage doors installed when the business was Garlic Shack – which shut down after only three months – Ng said a unique setup had to be made to meet health department regulations that stipulate the kitchen can’t be open-air.
Customers walk in along the left side of the restaurant, go through sliding glass doors and prepare their bowls for the chef. The chef then cooks the food on the Mongolian barbecue – a circular device originating from the shields used by Ghengis Khan’s army – and customers can go to their tables, to have the food delivered when it is completed.
Dinner bowls cost $10.95, and lunch bowls – weekdays until 4 p.m. – are $7.95. The restaurant takes cash only, but an ATM is inside.
The enclosed kitchen allows the garage doors to be opened when weather permits, and customers can sit on the patio once the furniture is installed.
Jenifer Estrada, a 20-year-old Sacramentan who works in retail, said Monday that she enjoyed the food, and it stacked up well against other Mongolian barbecue restaurants she has tried.
“It’s my first time here, and I really liked it,” she said. “The food was very good, and I hope they stay around longer than the last places that were here.”
Estrada said she had pork with noodles, vegetables and teriyaki sauce.
Another Sacramentan, 35-year-old construction worker and musician Chris Orozco, agreed with Estrada’s take on the restaurant.
“It’s pretty good, and I think the fact that they stay open late is nice,” he said, referencing the 3 a.m. closing time for Friday and Saturday nights.
“It’s fresh, and everything was crisp,” he added. “People need to make it out here and support the new local eateries.”
Mongo Mongo, located at 19th and J streets, is open from 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. - 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow him on Twitter @Brandon_Darnell.
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I am both biased and a regular customer of Mongolian BBQ all over. This pricing is completely ordinary IMO.
So by my calculation, that would make Mongo Mongo $0.26 more for lunch and $1.26 more for dinner.
And for another lunch comparison I looked up what a sando would cost at The Bread Store - I love eating there - on the low side $6.25 for a veggie and on the high side $7.75 for the el cubano. They have been in business for a while and don't seem to be going anywhere. Oh, and same for Cafe Bernardo's where you would be hard pressed to pay less than $7 for food at lunch.
Then I thought about late night food. Petra is pretty reasonable and open late. The sandos are about $7 and most plates are $12. At Ink you will pay at least $10 for almost anything.
I'm honestly not sure where all the hate is coming from. In earlier stories on the topic people, including me, we're really excited to have Mongolian BBQ downtown. The prices are in line with similar businesses all over the country.
Correction: I wrote earlier, "especially one that offers true vegetarian bowls," and after visiting today this is not true as there is only one griddle, not two.
And FYI, their lunch & dinner pricing is very much in line with the longtime Mongolian BBQ place in West Sac.
I can't get out of taco bell for less than $8. Last time (hopefully ever) that I went to Mcdonalds, I got a Big Mac Meal and a 9 piece McNuggets for $10 and change. (The upset stomach and 20 hours of discomfort following the meal were free of charge. The extra dipping sauce was $.27)
Where the heck are you eating?