I tried this Mongolian stir fry spot on Saturday at lunch. I have only seen about five minutes of the series that it borrows its name from, but, I hope it isn't as disappointing as this place. I have heard that it has been a hot ticket since it opened around two months ago. It was nearly empty on this day. Maybe the word is out. And the word is not good. It already looks ten years worn. Red and black coloring. You order and pay at a terminal. And of course they still have a tip prompt. You add a number. They call it. I paid $15 for a small bowl of Mongol Empire (beef and chicken on rice). A bit tough. Scant veggies. Not much rice. Not very spicy. They have some kind of (4) cement mixer spinning next to the flat top where they were cooking the meat. I'm not sure if that's where they mix the dish. It was only spitting out water (cleaning?) when I espied it. They have a few "predetermined" options. Or you can make your own. Same prices. Pork, beef, chicken and I think a fake meat one. Maybe shrimp. A few types of noodles and rice. A few sauces. Eight or so apps (ie wings or edamame) around $7. Six tables for four at the window. Two high tops of four in the middle. Open 11am-3pm and then 5pm to ? Adequate parking. Near Bumby on East Colonial. Just low level take out that should cost half as much. Avoid.
*Travel Notes - United Kingdom: I will split this into two parts (Scotland and England). 1L = $1.28. I paid $960 for a NS to Manchester on Aer Lingus. London was $300 more. Red eye there and 11am return. Our terminal 3. Breezed through customs. It cost 6L for a train from the airport (you have to walk very far now from their new terminal 2 to airport station) to Picadilly Station. Thankfully, I booked Motel One at the last minute before I left for 90L ($166). They let me in my room at 9am. I have been to Manchester a few times (and seen most things), so, I just slept and grabbed dinner at a market and bought a train ticket. All the missing meals from now on were supermarket meals (mostly Co-Op or Sainsbury) of cheese, hummus, bread, charcuterie and wine or beer or cider. A few trips to McD's too. I went to Edinburgh by train (no xfers added around 10L to cost) for 57L. Stayed at Royal Princes Suites for two days at $166 a night. It was almost impossible to find mid-priced accomodations. I walked to Leith via some great old train paths in a park. Saw the Royal Yacht. Came back. Wandered around this side of town. It was drizzly. Went to National Portrait Gallery (free) the next day. Bought a bus ticket. Ate lunch at Oink on Royal Mile. It was whole hog sandwiches. I had one with haggis spread and apple sauce. Very good. Walked up to Arthur's Seat (hill at end of Royal Mile). Mostly why I was there. Came down and walked over to some stadium that I saw from up there. It was the one for Hiberian FC. Back past some sights already seen (and you should find) to a newish mall with some interesting food options (and retail) that I didn't eat at. Ate lunch of Bunny Chow (chicken and potato curry in bread loaf) the next day at Mowgli. Some famous Indian chef (Nisha Katona) there. A dish for South African train workers. Walked to Haymarket station and saw the Cathedral and National Records building. Tried to find other soccer stadium (and rugby). They were too far. Boarded the bus back in city center to Inverness. It cost 21L. Stayed at horrible Castle View for 60L ($76). It was also hard to find rooms here. Took train to Thurso (most northerly point) for 36L (RT) because bus ticket office was closed when I came into town and I needed certainty. Stayed at Royal Thurso for two nights at 58L ($75) a night. Walked the coast. The next day I walked a mile or so to Scrabster Ferry (nice path) because the bus wasn't working and a taxi was 10L. RT Ferry to Stromness on the main Orkney Island for 43L. Just there and back. Didn't see the main sites. Bought Donaldson's of Orkney smoked beef (tough) and The Island Smokery Orkney Kirkjuagr Gin Flavored Orkney Cheddar at The Bay Leaf Deli. Saw Guns and Roses at Glastonbury on tv. Back to Inverness the next day. Bought a three day pass for 56L. Stayed at Travelodge for 70L. Had to book direct on their site. I think a few chains are off Booking or Expedia. This was a Sunday. It was double the next day when I tried to extend and triple days before. Saw Elton John phone it in at Glastonbury on tv. Took a rt bus over bridge to Portree on Isle of Skye the next day. Past Loch Ness and some other cute towns (Kyle of Lochalsh). Stayed at Columba in Inverness for $144 (see the price swing?) again. Better this time. Had Cullen Skink (almost a chowder) and Curried Mallaig Mussels at a stall in the Victorian Market called Red Shank. Mussels were tiny here too (see Ireland Notes from last year). Had a beer at Uile Bheast Brewery. Used pass for bus trip to Oban through Fort William. Saw Loch Ness and Ben Nevis and Loch Lomand again. Stayed at Kelvin Hotel near the train station for two nights at $130 per. Had lunch of haggis roll the next day at Food from Argyll at the Pier. RT ferry to Mull for 8L. Three island tour was 81L and it was rainy. Dinner of haddock at Oban Fish and Chips because this chef on tv that I love over there (Rick Stein) said it was the best in UK. Or they wrote on the front of the store that he did. It was very good. On to Glasgow the next day on that pass. Bought bus ticket to Bristol (44L) for the next day. Of course it was a shit xfer because Citi MC thinks it can send me a code overseas on my phone that I seem to need to use on web site purchases and the good bus was sold out by that point. I don't swap sim cards when I travel! Walked to areas not explored yet. To Banksy exhibit at art museum. Weather was not great. Stayed at Grasshoppers near train station for $114. To Bristol the next day. That was an ordeal that I will get into later on. Could have bought more bus passes and hit other remote ports and onto islands but I was getting sick of the rain (or threat of it). Will do that next year.
Some things I consumed from supermarkets to this point: Austrian smoked cheese (bad), Wensleydale with cranberries (bad), Wookey Hole Goat's Cheese (ok), Creamfield's French Brie (good), Belton Farm Cheshire (bad), Brussels pork pate (ok), Ardennes pork and mushroom pate (ok). I'll leave out all the charcuterie (mostly cheap and good and from Spain or Italy) and wines (mostly South African or Australian whites). Beer: Lerwick Brewery 60 North, Loch Ness Brewery, Fyne Ales Farm Brewery, Six North, Belfield Brewery. Cider: Sxollie (South Africa) and Thistly Cross (Scotland).
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