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By Rachel Fix Dominguez and John Dominguez
 Let’s begin with a cold hard truth: Mongolia is not a place known for a delicate or refined cuisine. In fact, barring the odd (and mistaken) reference to “Mongolian BBQ,” Mongolia isn’t a place known for its cuisine at all. And there’s a good reason for this. The linchpin of the Mongolian diet is mutton. We’re not talking young, succulent lamb. We’re talking old, gnarly sheep.
But these statements are not meant to dissuade you from visiting Mongolia, or from experimenting with what the cuisine does have to offer. They’re just a bit of a reality check; if you’re a gourmand, you’re not going to get any long-standing food dreams fulfilled on a jaunt to Ulaanbaatar. So, are you ready? Come with us on a whirlwind tour of the world of Mongolian food.
Arriving at Chinggis Khaan International Airport outside Ulaanbaatar (hereafter UB), you’ll want to catch a taxi into the city proper. If you’re headed to Sukhbaatar Square in the center of the city, that’ll set you back between $5 to $8 US. Once you arrive at your intended UB destination, steel your stomach for a culinary adventure.
Mongolia is a wonderful place to explore, particularly if you manage to travel outside UB and spend some time in the clean, tranquil countryside. While the food you encounter may not be the ultimate in gourmet cuisine, it will certainly be memorable. Keep an open mind and an open mouth and you’ll experience foods you won’t soon forget.
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