Porfirio Gomez stirs noodles at YC's Mongolian BBQ in Scottsdale. At most Mongolian eateries, a heaping bowl ranges from $5.50 to $5.96.

MONGO Meals

Bring out that inner warrior at slew of stir-fry barbecues

By Stephanie Johnson
Get Out

Genghis Khan and his horde of Mongolian warriors loved their food. In fact, the 12th-century ruler, whose reign of terror made him one of the most feared leaders of all time, has spawned a recent trend in modern dining.

"Back in the old days, Genghis Khan and his horde would go back after a battle and they'd turn their shields upside-down over a fire," says Chris Cozzi, manager of BD's Mongolian Barbeque in Tempe. "Then they'd take slivers of meat and add whatever to prepare their meal."

This idea has been put into motion in a handful of Mongolian eateries around the Valley. There have been a few modifications since the 12th century. For instance, instead of an open-pit fire and a shield, restaurants have opted for a state-of-the-art, round cooking top to stir-fry the dining masterpieces. And fortunately, guests don't have to hunt down their own food like Genghis and his horde did so many centuries ago.

Instead, customers go through a line of meats, vegetables, oils, sauces and spices, and create their own meal. Then "grill warriors" stir-fry the concoction on a flat cooking top.

"It's so fun," says Chris Rieger, 19, of Tempe, a grill warrior at BD's. "It's tough work because it's so hot back there, but it's such a great atmosphere."

With the recent opening of BD's Mongolian Barbeque and the popular self-service YC's Mongolian BBQ, people may be wondering: What's all the fuss about?

"Anytime there's fresh food and you can watch your food being prepared right before your eyes, there's something really refreshing about that," says John Giek, 37, of Tempe, who dines at BD's Mongolian Barbeque.

GGet Out - May 18, 2000

Ed Booth, manager at YC's Mongolian BBQ in the Scottsdale Pavilion, offers a different perspective: "I think it's healthy food and I think it's an excellent value."

At most Mongolian eateries, customers can opt for an all-you-can-eat meal that costs anywhere from $6.50 to $11.95, depending on the time of day and the restaurant. Patrons also can choose to eat only one bowl - which is a lot of food - and pay $5.50 to $6.95.

With all this food, people may think that this can't possible be healthy. Wrong.

Jeff Beaudoin, 29, of Scottsdale, loves YC's - he eats there three times a week.

"The food is healthy, it's the best value in town and it's fresh," he says. "I'm on a special diet and you just can't beat it. In fact, I don't even recommend this place to people what aren't health-conscious."

While the food is, for the most part, healthy, it can be loaded with calories.

"The choices are unlimited. From healthy to unhealthy. It all depends on what you make," Cozza says.

From the young to the old, the health- conscious to the high-calorie consumers, Mongolian barbecues attract all kinds of patrons. Basically, like Genghis and his horde, anyone with a good appetite and a willingness can give stir-fry a try.

"The more you try it, the better it turns out," advises David O'Brien, 38, a patron at YC's in Scottsdale. "People really need to do it a few times just to get the hang of it."

Charles Eisenstein, 28, a diner at BD's, sums up the Mongolian dining experience:

"At first, I thought it was a gimmick. I thought it was like you come in and watch a guy with a funny hat throw some food around the table, but it wasn't. The food was really good. In fact, I'll probably be back for dinner."