The Genghis Grill – The Mongolia Stir Fry - is located at 138 Market St.
photo by Janet Wilson
Wayne and I have decided we really like this place. Genghis Grill – The Mongolia Stir Fry - is located at 138 Market St. I was disappointed when I saw what was previously done by tenants to the old Altruda’s spot, but Genghis has certainly taken that space making improvements and returning it to a nice restaurant. It looks great!
Upon being seated, you are given a menu and a bowl. You can select one of the Genghis recipes or simply make up your own. You just take the bowl into Khan’s Kitchen, go through the line and make your selections.
The first section is protein. There are many containers of uncooked meats and fish such as steak, pork, chicken, turkey, scallops, crab, and shrimp, as well as others. Choose the ones you want and put them into your bowl.
Next are the spices. Some of the many choices are cayenne, lemon pepper, Cajun, garlic, ginger and red pepper. Use as much or as little as you like.
Move on down the line and look over the veggie choices. There has to be at least twenty items to choose from including broccoli, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, carrots, green beans, bok choy and onions.
To top everything off, your next selections are the sauces - twelve varieties that you put into separate little bowls – it isn’t time for mixing yet.
Your last selection is the starch. The offerings are steamed, fried or brown rice, Udon noodles, spiral pasta and tortillas. You don’t put this in your bowl, as it is added while the food is cooking on the huge circular grill. The grill has dividers so as to keep your order separate from everyone else’s. This is also the stage where they add the sauce after your food has started to cook.
You can either stay at the grill and watch as your food is prepared, or return to your table for a short wait and your food will be delivered in large, round, bright red bowls.
I experimented by mixing steak, chicken, crab, shrimp and scallops, topped with one of the pepper seasons mixed with a chili pepper one. These weren’t hot seasonings. I mixed in several vegetables such as green beans, bok choy, onions, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts, then I selected a raw egg to be cooked in the mix. I used a standard cooking sauce along with, I believe a Thai Chili Peanut sauce. My starch was spiral pasta.
Wayne mixed lemon pepper seasoning with one other, while going with the sweet & sour sauce. His starch was fried rice.
We both enjoyed our visit to Genghis Grill. The people were very friendly and eager to assist, while the food was a hit! We also agree that we will be going back for another visit. I see this becoming a “favorite”.
You can select the exact foods you want in your bowl, have it cooked to perfection, and enjoy a lovely ambiance. There are two prices - $8.99 for one bowl or $12.99 for the Bottomless Bowl (all you Khan eat).
Genghis Grill serves beer, mixed drinks and wine. They did offer us a dessert, but they weren’t on the menu so I’m not certain what they have.
Genghis Grill is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday until 11 p.m.
Check them out – we think you’ll be glad you did.
READER PET PEEVE OF THE WEEK (printed as received):
“To me one of the most disgusting thing that goes on is someone sitting at a table and blowing their noses while other people are eating. This is a nasty habit and, if this must be done, then they need to take it to the bathroom. This is very impolite and I hope that they were taught better. Sorry to say, but most of this is done by men.”
Send us your pet peeves – or comments to previous ones: cdojanet@chattanoogadineout.com
Inside the Genghis Grill
photo by Janet Wilson