Ruzhen Mongolian Grill

This is the first Mongolion Grill restaurant I've ever been to. I liked it a lot. You get a bowl, fill it up with meats and veggies you want, throw some sauce on it, then hand it to one of the chefs who cooks it all. The selection of ingredients and sauces is excellent. Nice place, good food. Can't go wrong here.

Possibly the ave's best kept secret. Something about the facade of the building makes it blend. You wouldn't even think it's a restaurant. Plus the name/sign doesn't clue you in either. Just by sheer quantity per price, it blows any competitor out of the water. I paid $12.95 and walked out with, no joke, 5 lbs. of food. I ate off of it for at least three days. I don't even know how that results in economic gain for a business, but no complaints there. Then when you choose what goes into your dish, in a sort of a cold buffet style (like most Mongolian grills), you're really blown away by the selection of veg and meat options. Lamb, Chicken, and Beef for protein. I'm not going to list all the veggies, but there have to be over 20. Head over to the cash register (pay by weight and then a flat 2.25 for a huge additional bowl of noodles if you want) to pay before sliding your bowls up on the counter so the cooks can grab them, dump them, and sear it up! The smells are nice and I like to watch the food being cooked. Things to watch out for: - The meat rolls at the beginning of the buffet are sliced paper thin, so it results in very little after cooking. Throw a couple extra on there. - Wheat, or soba style noodles weigh a lot more than rice noodles so if you don't want to pay for the extra noodle bowl and you're trying to smash and cram everything into one, go with the rice ones - Lots of different types of sauce, but your best bet is the classic Mongolian. It just brings everything together nicely. - Don't forget peanuts and sesame seeds. -Free rice?! YES! Why not 5 stars? - Something deep inside tells me I could only eat here so many times before getting a foodborne illness (I'll take my chances) because: - The meat rolls at the beginning are frozen and kept on ice cold stone blocks, but then exposed to constant hot ambient air from the restaurant. Not all of those meats are treated equally and I'm very picky about which ones I grab. - Similar thing with the veggies which are kept in typical plastic food containers on ice blocks but constantly exposed and uncovered. Plus, bean sprouts. I love me a sprout, but we all remember the string of E. Coli scares years back and I can't imagine a vat of them sitting in tepid water... - The sauces at the end are kept in closed metal containers, but at an awkward room temperature. I get it: the food's hot so the sauce doesn't have to be, but something just screams unsanitary about room temperature sauces in large quantities sitting for long periods of time. Those last few things are just me being picky about food safety. Most people would be surprised at what lurks in the kitchens of even the best restaurants, so don't be deterred! Try this place out if you're into Mongolian grill or Asian food altogether.

This place is really good. Your meal is very customizable, and the noodles are very cheap. I recommend paying for the $2 noodle bowl that lets you add as many noodles as you can fit in the bowl. You can definitely get a vegetarian meal here, but should not go if you can't eat things cooked with utensils that have touched meat. The actual location is very nice too. I love coming here with a group of friends!