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Unnamed Chinese RestaurantRESTAURANT TYPE: Chinese LOCATION: Halfway up the hill to the Gandan Monastery - right hand side. Off the main "lobby" (which resembles a deserted Russian hospital waiting room) of the Hunters Hotel. If visiting in winter, arrange to have your cab come back or keep your driver/car. It's a long and lonely walk to a street wherein you could hail a cab. HOURS: Unknown, but open on a Thursday night at 9pm during Chinese New Year is a good sign. GENERAL LOCATION: Bar attached, but virtually deserted and unattended on the night of the visit. Even if it was lively and fully staffed it would be classed as suspect. Slippery, slippery steps. The hotel itself is not the type of place you would recommend to your visiting CEO from Head Office. Unless he has come to close your office down. APPEARANCE/AMBIENCE: Bright, well lit, clean, large, Chinese-dining-type tables. If you go there for a quiet dinner for two, be prepared to either shout at each other across a table meant for 10, or to sit close together with the other expanses disappearing into the distance. General appearance is very hygienic and non-threatening. Take an interesting dinner companion(s), as there is no music, fights or karaoke to distract you (apart from the personnel in the "Staff" section below). ATTENDANCE: Two large tables of Chinese families - kids and all -having a good, quick and hearty meal. Plus the presence of a table of Mongolian Police officers having a meal was a reassuring sight in what is a relatively lonely location. The owner obviously has good relationships. So - not deserted. RESTAURANT STAFF: Attractive, tall Mongolian girls comingly dressed in cheongsams. Well-trained and attentive. The owner is a Mongolian who speaks fluent Chinese, and seems genuinely keen on service and friendliness. English ability amongst the staff seemed very limited. A knowledge of Mongolian Chinese or dexterous sign language would be essential. SERVICE: Very slow on the visiting night, but the owner was apologetic and explained that three of his four Chinese cooks had left for the Chinese New Year. All is forgiven. The presence of the Cheonsammed waitresses eased the wait a little. MENU: Extensive as in all Oriental restaurants. Written in Chinese, Mongolian and a very truncated English. It may become a collectors item with English translations/interpretations such as "Fish Like Snake". FOOD: The limited selection we had; Fried peanuts, spiced vegetable, spicy cabbage, beef and chill strips and the sweet and sour soup; would rate as a 7/10. Plentiful serves - two of us only ate 50% of the plates. We gave the Fish Like Snake a miss. HYGEINE: No untoward dead cat fur, strange hairs, greenish meat or weird little black things were observed at all. The food we ordered seemed fresh and crisp - and what it purported to be on the menu. While the kitchen nor the toilets were inspected, we gave it a (non-guaranteed) 9/10. COST: Together with beer and tea, the total bill was 12,000Tg. One of the bargains that your courageous and intrepid researchers have found to date. RECOMMENDATION: Great for a large group wanting a cheap Chinese food night. Take one Chinese or Mongolian speaker. RATING - 3/5
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