Grand Khaan in Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia

May 25, 2012

Grand Khaan front with the terrace

My favourite watering whole in Ulaan Baatar is the Grand Khaan Irish Pub. I love the place where half of the city seems to congregate. The end of May has chilly nights (still with minus temperatures) but glorious days with up to 25-28 Celsius.

It was exactly such a day, almost summer for the Mongolians. Many men were already in short sleeves and the women in summer dresses. I love to watch the stylish young Mongols dressed up for a Friday night out.

The days are already long, and the work to put up the structure for the summer tent in the parking lot in front of the pub was in full swing when I got there.

Busy at work

I was by myself and was seated at a small table inside. I felt a bit chilly, I admit. Coming from the tropics does not help. Many customers sat outside. I could not bring myself to that.

My beef burger

I was craving for a burger and a Chinggis beer which I ordered after a short glance at the menu. Boy I was hungry. The burger was big and solid with Mongolian beef. The side salad is more decoration, but the fries are good.

Ghinggis beer

I cannot bring myself to have a glass of wine with a burger. The Chinggis beer was just right to quench my thirst.

A pub is not a place for fine wines. However, I decided to ordered a glass of red as dessert so to say. There were quite a few wines on the menu. I settled for a French Syrah.

I will not reveal what it was. I choose one of the priciest ones though. It was what we call in Australia an “umpf” wine, big and heavy with lots of alcohol. I guess that’s what pub goers expect from a red.

I had a great time watching the coming and going of the people. Friday night is a busy time. I “cleared my brain”, the pub acted as a cleansing ale so to speak after a busy and eventful week here in Ulaan Baatar. It was my last evening and I am sad to leave. I just love Mongolia and its people.

I highly recommend to visit the place. It’s great fun.

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Posted by themanfrommoselriver

Traveling in style in Mongolia

November 20, 2011

Traveling in Mongolia has its particular challenges. First and foremost, you need a good care, a vehicle which can master potholes, uneven roadsides, gravel and other earthen ground and so on.

In short 4WD and SUV models are preferable transportation means.

It is also an advantage if you have a few more horsepower then needed in the city to overtake slower traffic, to avoid a collision with a cow, horse or other farm animal and/or an oncoming bus or truck.

In short, we did have such a vehicle.

I like the Mongolian custom to stop from time to time at specific locations to pray and rest. Usually one walks around a kind of stupa made from stones and decorated with colourful flags and banners.

If you want to, you can also add a stone here and there.

Usually one walks around the stupa three times, clockwise. One prays for a safe journey and a good arrival at the final destination.

No better occasion for a re-invigorating drink, isn’t it?

Thanks to our Mongolian hosts, we did exactly this. But instead of vodka, we opened a bottle of red wine.

I loved the special wine box with opener and other wine paraphernalia.

Note, that the driver should only partake in the drink sharing at a symbolic level.

Thanks folks for making our trip to the grasslands such a memorable event.

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Eating experience in Mongolia – fast food

October 27, 2011

A long history of Mongolian civilization

Mongolia is a great place to visit. There are quite a few fast food places in Ulaan Baatar. I liked the Mongolian barbecue place. Altai was its name.

You select your ingredients and your selection will be ‘cooked” on a very hot metal “plate”.

The menu

The cook at work

The result

We drank beer with the food, neither wine nor vodka; after all it was lunchtime only. But as a bonus our host ordered a cooked sheep’s head. You need a sharp knife and off you got and cut off the piece you like. Our host wanted to expose us to “the real stuff”.

Experienced travelers cannot be shocked though.

Delicious sheep’s head

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Mongolia – how to cook a meal in the steppe

October 19, 2011

The Mongolian grasslands

My work kept me so busy that I was even too tired in the evenings to update my beloved Man from Mosel River blog. After such a long absence I find it hard to get back to my writing.

Today I revisited the photos I took while travelling in Mongolia a couple of weeks ago. The waste grasslands made a deep impression on me. I greatly admired the hospitality of the Mongolians.

Almost a cliche: a lone rider with his horses traversing the grasslands

Cooking in these circumstances, maybe in a ger (yurt, a Mongolian felt tent), but more likely somewhere out there looking after the herds, is not an easy undertaking. One does not have the kitchen and cooking utensils necessary to prepare a gourmet meal.

The more I was surprised to learn about the “magic of the milk can”-cooking method. Alas there is human ingenuity.

This is how it goes:

One drops a couple of hot stones (usually larger river pebbles) in an old milk can (which were used in the good old days in our dairies), stuffs it with potatoes, cabbage and chunks of meat (mutton and beef), and closes the lid tightly for about 30 minutes, and voilà: the meal is ready.

I was told that a famous master chef confirmed that he had never eaten a better cooked piece of beef in his life.

The photos below give you an idea what it looks like.

It is an exciting moment when the cans are opened and they reveal their secret.

It looks a bit rough

But served on the table it regains stature, especially when Russian bubbly is on offer

A beautiful meal is waiting for us

..with some preserved vegetables…

..and potatoes and white cabbage as staples

PS: It was a delicious meal, I must say. I have to get used to the way the Mongolians cut their meat.

Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to taste the Russian sparkling wine. It was given to the women; we men drank vodka, of course.

What do you expect in Mongolia?

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Mongolia – a paradise for beer and vodka drinkers

September 6, 2011

Mongolia is a great place. The capital city Ulaan Baatar is humming away with energy. Many “watering holes” are available for the thirsty (there is food for the hungry as well). Since our host is (among others) also the president of the Mongolian beer association, we indulge in this drink (plus some good vodka).

Two of the many beers I want to mention here, first, the Sengur beer and second the Chinggis beer brand, are both very delicious. Even after excessive amounts the “digestibility” is just perfect. This country seems to be a haven for beer drinkers.

Bottled Sengur beer

Chenggis draft beer

PS: I am off to the grasslands for a couple of days and will return to blogging only next week. I promise some new entries about the liquid made from grapes. Cheers

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Vodka from Mongolia – Chinggis Gold

August 31, 2011

Since I am leaving for Mongolia tonight, I thought I share with you a unique vodka experience. Chinggis Kahn Vodka especially the Gold brand is a great drink. It is the leading vodka brand in Mongolia. After a meat rich meal and even without any food (but preferably after dinner), Chinggis Gold is just a treat.

This vodka is produced from high-quality, domestically grown wheat, and mountain spring water. Because of the very special distillation process (8 distillations and filtrations through quartz-sand and silver birch activated-carbon) it has an extremely fine taste and a very smooth palate.

The gold edition has already won three gold medals (from ‘Prod Expo 2009’, the ‘San Fransisco World Spirits Competition 2010’, and from the ‘Monde Selection 2010’). Chinggis Gold seems to become a luxury item. Treasure it. Cheers

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Posted by themanfrommoselriver