One bowl or many, get your stir-fry fill at Genghis Grill
Make no mistake: Genghis Grill in Wheaton doesn't do much to separate itself from the other build-your-own stir-fry chains. So we headed to this one, we admit, with trepidation.
Like its predecessors, this place has a shtick: The Mongolian cooking style - and décor - is modeled after Khan-led 12th-century warriors who allegedly, when on the battlefield, grilled foods in their shields over open flames. Adorned with flags, gongs and statues, the tile-floored restaurant misses no opportunity to drive that "point" home.
The approach here operates not unlike its competitors. Diners, metal bowl in hand, walk up to the food bar where they're met with proteins, then seasonings, vegetables and other add-ins. Finally, sauces - placed in a separate bowl - are selected to cap things off.
When bowls threaten to overflow, they're passed on to chefs, who sizzle them with starches such as fried rice, udon noodles or brown rice. Diners can opt to eat their creations wrapped in a tortilla as well.
The nice thing about a restaurant like this is it's easy to please everyone you're dining with because no one is stuck settling for someone else's tastes. Beginning with meats and seafood, even fussy eaters will find something to like. Chicken - clearly a popular choice since it enjoys an extra-large tray - comes out surprisingly moist. Clumps of shredded, paper-thin beef, while initially tough to wrestle from the dish, are worth the reward when cooked. Calamari, shrimp and cod are options as well.
Those looking for a more unique (we'd say strange) result will find pepperoni and ham. Love eggs? Pop one in your bowl, and it'll be cracked into the mix.
There's a lot going on in the vegetable department, too. Diners can make it easy on themselves by scooping up a preordained stir-fry mix with carrots and onions. They can pluck baby corn, spinach, red and green peppers, mushrooms and pineapple from bowls. Heat seekers can spice things up with fresh-sliced jalapenos or the selection of hot sauces, which include Cholula and Sriracha.
When it comes to sauces, it's not surprising that most are Asian-bent. We opted to mix and match, and the end result was pretty tasty. There's red curry peanut, Mongolian-style barbecue, Asian chili, chile garlic, Szechwan and island teriyaki, to name a few. If you're opting for non-Asian ingredients (such as the aforementioned pepperoni), we'd recommend choosing the roasted tomato sauce.
You'll find the small selection of desserts in a flippable menu that's placed on the table, although we doubt after a few trips to the grill many people save room. However, we can report both the straight-up chunky chocolate brownie and the rich Oreo cake were just-right (if uninspired) finales.
There's a full bar that serves Asian beers and a small selection of wine as well as a handful of signature martinis and cocktails.
The restaurant is pretty slow at lunchtime, but expect it to be hopping at night when local families flood the high-top tables. Service is friendly and helpful, walking first-timers through all the ins and outs. Still, we could have used a soda refill and wish dishes would have been more readily cleared.
At the end of the day, though, we got what we paid for and were satisfied with the results. And we liked the fact you had the option to eat one bowl or make unlimited trips without being stuck with the full price either way.
Restaurant reviews are based on one anonymous visit. Our aim is to describe the overall dining experience while guiding the reader toward the menu's strengths. The Daily Herald does not publish reviews of restaurants it cannot recommend.
Genghis Grill
106 N. Hale St., Wheaton; (630) 665-3600; genghisgrill.com
Cuisine: Design-your-own stir fry
Setting: Upbeat, casual "buffet"
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Price range: Lunch $8.99 one bowl or $12.99 unlimited bowls; dinner $10.99 one bowl or $14.99 unlimited bowls; desserts $3.49
Accepts: Major credit cards