Restaurant: Prince of Wales Pub
Mongolia is a country in east-central Asia, bordered by China and Russia. Its capital city is Ulan Bator or Ulaanbaatar.
Mongolian cuisine mainly consists of dairy, meat (mainly beef) and animal fats, because of the extreme temperatures in Mongolia: ranging from -40℃ in winter to over 40℃ in summer. The temperatures also mean that there is a very limited amount of fruit, veg and spices as they can't be grown easily. Mongolian dishes are largely influenced by China and Russia, examples being the hearty meals like beef dumplings and stir-fry to keep them warm during the sub-zero temperatures in winter.
There are lots of so called 'Mongolian barbecues' in London which are really not Mongolian at all but with luck, we found a pub in paddington which sells authentic Mongolian food, prepared by a Mongolian chef. This pub is where lots of Mongolians living in London go to meet for a meal from their culture so it was the perfect place to go for our Mongolian lunch.
Food:
Mains: Buuz - Beef dumplings with carrots on the side.
Tsuivan - Stir fried noodles with beef and vegetables.
Banshtai Tsai - Mongolian milk tea with mini beef dumplings.
Khuushuur - Deep fried pastry with beef inside. A bit like a Mongolian-style filled pancake.
Rating: ☆ ☆ ☆
The food was very good but came in massive portions (one Tsuivan will serve a family of four) and the Mongolian landlord was very welcoming and helpful. However the atmosphere could have been better: next to where we were sitting was a seriously drunk man playing Pool, who was constantly shouting whenever he hit a ball into a pocket, and a lady cheering at the bar, who could barely stand upright.
Best dish: Khuushuur
Could have been better: Banshtai Tsai - the milk tea just lacked flavour.
All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed this experience and I would recommend that you to try it!
