When I was little kid just beginning to read, I fell in love
with an old book of my mother’s, Around the World in 2,000 Pictures (1955 - and it was old when I read it, thank you). It was loaded with small black and white
pictures and simple, brief captions from every country of the world. I never tired of flipping through it and
dreaming of all the places I could go.
When I was older I came across an article or quote someplace that said
that reading a book was the cheapest way to travel. I like that idea…you can see the world
without leaving your couch. Granted,
reading about it is very different than experiencing it, but costs a lot less
money.
In recent months I have been reminded of another way to
travel the world close to home….eating.
I am becoming a bit of a taqueria addict, while my stepdaughter will
always ask for sushi and stepson yearns for pasta. When we go out to eat, my wife and I simply
look for something different. Lately we
have eaten Vietnamese, Italian and Thai.
However, the other night we stepped well out of the normally-available
foods and tried a Mongolian restaurant.
We had no idea what to expect. I
had been in a Mongolian BBQ place but knew that wasn’t authentic (I doubt they
have shrimp and garlic in Mongolia). Next to a movie theater we were headed to
(review to come at Let's
Improve Schools Now) we dropped in at Oyunaa's. Very simple décor, soft music that sounded
like throat singing and a happy smile greeted us. Only two other tables were
seated, so it was a quiet evening. Our server came over to answer any questions
and explain that all the food is strictly prepared to order so it might be nice
to have a drink and relax. A glass of
wine and a beer from their limited selection and we did just that. It felt like
a complete escape – no way was Monterey Bay only a half mile away. We looked over the short menu and settled on
a bowl of kim chee followed by two dumpling entrees – buuz and khushuur. When we ordered our cheerful server said, “Ok,
well she will start roiling the dough for your dumplings now. Your meals will
be out in about 25 minutes.” It was so refreshing to know that there was no rush
and the food was being prepared just for us. A few minutes later the kim chee
arrived. Cool, but spicy, it was
delicious on a cold, rainy evening. Then
the dumplings arrived – they looked beautiful!
The buuz was a steamed ball of meat perfectly wrapped in the thinnest,
lightest dough. Khuushuur was a fried,
flat dumpling filled with beef. Each was
delicious! The buuz was light and fell apart in your mouth. The khuushuur was like a flattened burger,
but light and flavorful. The accompanying sides were delicious and the portion
sizes were perfect. I think it was all even more delicious knowing that it was
all hand-made while we savored the atmosphere and unwound. Our server dropped
by a couple times to check on us obviously delighting in our satisfaction.
Located on the north side of the Seabright neighborhood (one
of my favorite
neighborhoods) and a couple doors down from The Rio on Soquel, this place
should be doing a great business. I see
people in it all the time, but it does appear there is never a wait. If you
have the inkling to travel, but lack the funds or time, do yourself a favor and
get over to Oyunaa’s for a quick jaunt to Mongolia.