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Star One RestaurantLOCATION: Way the hell and gone, east toward the rising sun beyond the British Embassy, in a grassy field [across from Mongol Cinema]. Cows cut the grass in the summertime. HISTORY: The Star One Hotel and restaurant were built in the early 90s by a member of the politburo of the communist party . When Shel moved to Mongolia in November 1993, the Star One was one of only four places places where a nomadic foreigner could get a decent meal. The others were the UB Hotel, the Bayangol Hotel, and the Russian Restaurant on top of the hill. Shel first went to the Star One in the winter of 1993. At that time it was the first and only place in UB where you could get pizza. Imagine---pizza in Mongolia in the depths of the country's economic collapse after Russia's withdrawal. It was like an oasis. In the last 10 years or so, the restaurant has changed its menu once so that it now reflects the cuisine mentioned above. It was the first restaurant to offer western salad dressings like Blue Cheese and Italian. Readers have to realize that in those days there was only one spice in Mongolia-----SALT AND SALT AND SALT. Months on end of salt. Your tongue and skin begin to wrinkle and you age far beyond your years with so much salt. And you dream of Ceasar's salad and seafood by the Bay. For people who like other seasoning in their food, western salad dressings were a god-send. People didn't understand why Shel just ate salad dressing by the spoonfull out of the bottle. It was a symphony for the pallette. In the early days, this restaurant was a magnet for expats despite its distance from anywhere. The food was good and the atmosphere was nice. There were some great, spontaneous parties out there before other eateries and night clubs began mushrooming around town. But now, diners are few at Star One. HOURS: BLD for residents. Probably breakfast for non-residents, too, if anyone would care to travel that far for a fried egg and piece of toast. APPEARANCE AND AMBIENCE: The restaurant is clean, well lit, quiet and has a very tasteful decor. It has maintained this decor since the first time Shel went there in 1993. The long-term maintenance of quality is exceptional for Mongolian restaurants. In the summer, there is porch-dining on the terrace with great views of the hills to the south, as long as there are no dust storms or rain. FACILITIES AND AMENITIES: Toilets are clean and well maintained. Toilet paper is available. The bar is in the restaurant. No disco, no night club, no karaoke (thank heavens). No ladies of the night looking for customers, although you could certainly BYO if you want. The owner is obviously a green thumb and maintains a green house adjacent to the lobby and the dining room. Maybe the first greenhouse in Mongolia. That provides fresh-cut flowers for the dining tables. Nice touch. ATTENDANCE: No one was there when your intrepid explorers arrived. A couple of people came after us, but the place was basically empty. That's why we liked the place. STAFF: One waiter--- a courteous, attentive young man who has been there perhaps five years or more. Continuity like that is rare in restaurants here. That says something, but we don't know what. SERVICE: Fairly quick. That's good because there are no lovelies to divert your attention if service is slow, and you don't get yourself drunk before eating. MENU: Eclectic (see type above) FOOD: A bit on the greasy side, but good. This place has cheese toast with or without garlic. Maybe the only place in UB with this item on the menu. HYGIENE: Fine. No post-dining complications for your explorers. COST: Moderate. RECOMMENDATION: If you can find the Star One in its grassy field out where the sun rises, it provides a quiet atmosphere, attractive decor and pretty good food for a reasonable price. It's a good place for 2-4 people to dine together, but the staff will be happy to put tables together to accomodate larger groups. RATING: 3/5
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