The day after Christmas Day, known in some countries as Boxing Day, is both a continuation of festive festivities, and a bit of a wind-down. Many of us spent much of the day before either cooking, or snoring our way through a food coma. For that reason, a trip to the mall, perhaps to spend some cash that we were gifted, makes for a pleasant excursion.
Westfield Culver City has the added advantage of a particularly good food court, aka the Dining Terrace. And situated in the middle of it all is Mongolian barbecue joint Mongrill.
“In 2004, the Lim family opened its first Mongrill restaurant in Los Angeles, California,” they say online. “We had one goal: to unite authentic and traditional Mongolian BBQ flavors with the contemporary palate. For over 10 years Mongrill has brought the freshest vegetables, the choicest meats, and the most authentic flavors to our customers.”
Maybe it’s tough to get the full, authentic experience while in a mall’s food court, but that’s not Mongrill’s fault and they’ve done their best with what they have.
“At Mongrill, we prioritize your freedom to make your Mongolian BBQ dish exactly how you want it,” they add. “From green warriors to meat lovers, our restaurant experience is designed to fit your unique tastes. Cater to your own needs by selecting any of our delectable vegetables and succulent meats. Your bowl is waiting.”
The “bowl is waiting” part is quite literal. When you arrive at Mongrill and order the Mongolian Barbecue, the first thing you do is select your meat. There’s beef and pork on offer, as well as a very festive turkey. But we went for the simple chicken option.
Next up, you choose your vegetables, There’s a veritable smorgasbord of fresh delights available. That said, we were chasing an Asian stir-fry vibe, so we went for onion, mushroom, baby corn, beansprouts and broccoli.
Finally, you choose your sauce and we opted for a medium spice, with chopped garlic. Then comes the fun part–you get to watch the chef prepare it on a huge hot plate, tossing the vegetables and meat around until nearly cooked, then adding noodles and soy sauce.
When you eventually get it, the food is piping hot and cooked to perfection. Shake on sesame seeds at your own leisure, then enjoy. The thin slices of chicken sit perfectly with the veg and noodles, making this a barbecue to remember.
Mongrill is located at Westfield, Level 3 Dining Terrace, 6000 Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City 90230. Call 310-390-7833 or visit mongrillbbq.com.