O' Mai Khan Restaurant est. 1987 — Restaurant in Baguio

Mongolian barbecue. You select the ingredients, they cook it up for you. Also an a la carte menu if you want to order something specific rather than a stir-fry creation. Cash mostly. Friendly staff.

The atmosphere is perhaps the nicest thing about this place. Comfortable indoor seating on two levels as well as a few tables outside. Busy place, even on a weekday evening. Fortunately a party of two didn't need to wait at 6pm on a Wednesday evening.

Staff is friendly upon entering and seating but then afterwards - as is often the case in SE Asia - they disappear. You have to flag somebody down to place an order for food. Then you have to flag somebody down to place a drink order. Then you have to flag somebody down to ask for dessert or the bill.

I've enjoyed Mongolian BBQ in a variety of places but this time I wasn't very impressed. Beef, pork, chicken are all meat options to choose from on the prix fie buffet menu. There are at least 3-4 options for leafy green additions to your bowl, but precious few other options. Diced onions, some julienned carrots, green beans, tomatoes, okra, bean sprouts, green bell pepper, tofu - but that's about it. They have a good variety of sauces to choose from and offer two pre-configured option - a spicy Asian option and a less-spicy option. You're also welcome to dictate the sauce distribution according to your own creativity or tastes.

I don't know if this is a post-Covid thing or not, but you don't serve yourself. A very friendly and helpful staff member on the other side of a plexiglass divider awaits your directions (often by pointing) and then adds the indicated ingredient. They're very good at this. However they aren't necessarily generous in their portions. On the one hand this is wise as it's less likely food will be wasted by people with eyes bigger than their stomachs. On the flip side it's frustrating to ask them to keep adding more of a given ingredient in order to appeal to your tastes. They certainly don't mind doing it! It's just kind of annoying.

Your ingredients are then cooked over what appears to be a large, flat, steel surface (as opposed to the stone cooking surfaces I've encountered in other places). The result is the same basically as a hot stone cooking surface. Flavors were ok but a bit on the monotone side. That could be matter of your sauce selections if you opt to go rogue rather than trusting their recommendations.

You can have them fry rice up with your other ingredients or you can select to have rice on the side. Or you can opt to add some rice noodles to the stir-fry. Or all of the above. Lots o' options.

For dessert we tried the blueberry cheesecake and a mango apricot cake. Cake was fine - light. Cheesecake was unremarkable with a light drizzling of canned blueberries - like, six of them - and syrup. Not bad but nothing I'd make the effort to come back for.

For drinks they offer a variety of juices and soft drinks, teas and shakes. They also offer a Cali Shandy - which to American guests might indicate a beer and lemonade mixture. Instead it's a carbonated pineapple beverage. Not bad, just not what was expected!

On the plus side you can go back as often as you want for additional stir-fry fixin's. This is the only Mongolian BBQ in Baguio so if you're really jonesin' for it this is your only option. It's certainly not bad, it just isn't very inspiring.

Staff is very friendly - when you get their attention. Service is quick - once you get their attention. Prices are very reasonable if you choose the buffet option. A little pricier if you order off the a la carte menu.

This is not a bad place to eat but if you've had Mongolian BBQ before it's likely not going to mesmerize you and leave you...

Open only from 11am -2pm and from 6pm-9pm. Its worth the budget if you have a hungry stomach, as this buffet style Mongolian restaurant pleases the empty tummy. They also have ala carte, but it is almost the same price as the buffet. They will hand you out a bowl in which you will fill up with meat and vegetables. Tip: ask the waitress for the popular sauces so she can make it for you (they told me sweet and spicy which I personally did not like) try the other sauces such as a barbeque or the Teriyaki instead. Then they will give you a number which you will put by your table so they can deliver it to you once its cooked! Also, tell the lady how you want your bowl, I asked mine to be a little dry because previous bowls were too wet. For ladies, around 1-2 bowls is enough, while men can have 3-4 bowls depending on...

This used to be my favorite go-to place when I crave for Mongolian Buffet. I also like their à la carte meals. My favorites are the Conqueror’s Meal (grilled pork spareribs with mushroom gravy) and Empire’s Indulgence (steamed Lapu-Lapu in a special soy sauce concoction). Their cakes and other desserts are to die for!

I have been a customer of this restaurant even back in the days when they were located near the City Hall until they transferred to Upper Session Road. Some of their current staff have been in the company for many years already and I have grown fond of them.

Prices are worth the quality of the food and the overall ambience. I must admit however, that food then and now are too different. The taste of food then was better. Even the quality of service is no longer as great as it was...