What you can't possibly tell from looking at this photo is how much I agonized over the meal.
In retrospect, I should've dragged everyone out the door the second I noticed the hostess had no front teeth. But I didn't. I had my second chance when I realized that none of the people working in the restaurant were asian, even the cooks, which is never a good sign (for asian food, at least). But I didn't.
I really truly should've drawn the line when we went to the buffet table of ingredients and saw, to my horror, a large bowl of pineapple chunks. I should've done more to convince my companions that this was not a good place to eat than saying "Pineapple chunks in Mongolian barbecue? You crazy white people!"* But I didn't.
I didn't evacuate my friends. I didn't put pineapple chunks in my bowl either, and I did my best to put together a decent meal, but in the end it was the worst-tasting Mongolian barbecue I've ever had.
Next time I'm in Austin, I'm just going to eat ribs every single day.
*I told this story to YiMay the next day, and to some Japanese friends in school when I got back from Austin, and every single one cringed when I said "pineapple". Every single one.
was never a fan of mongolian bbq. people that make mbbq a regular spot should be shot. to my horror they opened an annex in north austin. better decor but same old pineapple chunks and raw frozen meat "chips" for customers to handle on their own. what's really nice is if you time your lunch just right and get to watch them scrape off the burnt layers of crust on the giant grill. that's quite the treat.
if anyone ventures down to austin again, ping me. i will tell you where to go get asian food.
You mean to tell me Mongolian bbq isn't really Mongolian? Gengis Kahn never feasted on pineapple and horsemeat?