From HovdTravel
Contents |
[edit] Places to Eat
Eating out in Hovd is predictable. Most places serve variations of the same dishes. However, just because an item is on the menu doesn’t mean it is available that day. If you want to eat like a real Mongolian, order milk tea (сүүтай цай suutai tsae) with your meal. The time tables are official opening and closing times. However, opening and closing times tend to be more flexible in Mongolia versus other places in the world.
[edit] Splurge
Restaurants offer more expensive, less traditional Mongolian food. Usually comes with sides of rice with ketchup, mashed potatoes and pickled or mayo-ed veggies. Most larger restaurants offer sides like rice with milk or eggs for vegetarians. Most restaurants also have packaged snacks sold at marked-up prices. Beer, wine and vodka are also available.
- Ikh Mongol (Их Монгол), ☎ +976 14 22386,. Mon-Sun 9am–Midnight. This restaurant looks like an American chain restaurant trying to look authentic. Popular local place for dinner parties and karaoke. Outdoor seating available during the summer. There pictures of main dishes on menu to assist those who cannot read Mongolian. Ikh Mongol’s food selection is a bit more unique and varied than other restaurants but the service can be a bit slow. Many dishes can be shared. Chinese food, 3,000-6,000T; 2nd course, 1,200–4,000T.
- Naran Center (Наран Төв). This bright yellow restaurant is clean, neat, spacious, and has ok service. Near the Black Market between the light green "XAAH" Bank and the light yellow "XAC" Bank buildings. A popular place to take visiting VIPs (when the Bulgarian president visited Hovd in 2007, this is where he ate), it is famous in Hovd for its variety of food and beverages. A World Top 40 mix plays on a boom box, and a popular disco bar is on the second floor. Seats around 60. Soup: 1,500T, Main Dishes: 1,300-3,800T.
[edit] Mid-range
- Bileg Tov (Билэг Төв). Mon-Wed, Fri 10-9, Thurs 10-4, Sat from 4pm. Near the market, white building with gold lettering in between the mint green Haan (Хаан) Bank and a yellow apartment building near Tushig Hotel. The restaurant is on the 2nd floor and turns into a bar at 9pm. There are a couple of private rooms for large parties or those wanting to escape the disco. The only restaurant in town with an English menu. Soups 1,500T, Main dishes 1,800T.
- Winners Cafe, ☎ +976 99034045. Mon-Sat 10am-10pm. With a central location, right off the square, the restaurant is busy during lunch time, but you can usually find a seat. The service can be a bit slow. The more expensive dishes are meant to be shared. Soup 1,500T, 2nd Course 1,500-4,000T.
- Tsomorlig Cafe (Цоморлиг), ☎ +976 99087503. Mon-Sat 10am-9pm. This small restaurant with a green sign opposite the police station is always packed during the lunchtime rush. There are traditional Mongolian meals on the menu, as well as many kinds of salads. The main meals are served on cow-shaped iron skillets. Soup: 1,600T, Main Dishes: 1,500-3,500T.
- Buyant Restaurant, ☎ +976 99439043. 7am-8pm. The sign's name is in English, right next to the Buyant Hotel. It sometimes holds special events, but it is usually pretty quiet. It is the only place in town that serves breakfast, and on rare occasions there is a separate chicken dish menu in addition to its menu of more traditional Mongolian dishes. Seats around 40. Soup: 1,500T, Huurag: 1,800-4,000T, Average meal price: 2,500T.
[edit] Budget
Your best budget option is the many guanzes, or hole-in-the-wall fast food canteens that offer more traditional Mongolian fare. Typically only open during the day, most simply offer a dish until it runs out. Often guanzes are located behind unmarked doors in spaces with just enough room for a table and the cook. If you are unsure if it is a guanz, just open the door and peek inside - that's what the locals do!
- Zochin Buuz (Зочин Бууз). Open Everyday. Everything on the menu is usually available at this popular guanz near the Black Market. Usually have ketchup, soy sauce and hot pepper sauce. Friendly owner. Receive a piece of gum at the end of the meal. On the aisle to the left of the Black Market's main entrance, right before the right turn to the vegetable section. Seats about 40. 600-1,500T.
- Pink Market Guanz. 8-7 everyday except Tuesdays. On the left as you enter the Pink Market's gate. Great huusher. Huusher 170T, buuz 150T.
- X.A.H. Jargalant - Kafe, Buuz, Huusher (Кафе – Бууз, Хуушуур). M-F: 8-7. 2nd floor of the mint green Hiam (Хиам) Factory next to the Hovd Theater. In this bare bones local worker lunchtime joint, the cooks work behind a plastic sheet, and you can see hiam drying. Serves, buuz, huusher and vegetable soup.
- Naran Bakery (Наран Бейкери), ☎ +976 91436272. everyday except Sat 9-9. Baked goods are ready between 2pm-3pm. Won local award for bakeries. This bakery’s food stuffs are sold around town, but here you can sit in an orange cafeteria seat and drink a cup of instant coffee with your treat. Friendly staff, small, empty place; good place to sit. From 100T for individual goodies; cakes 20,000-30,000T.
- Police Guanz. M-F. This unmarked guanz is a popular lunchtime spot for local police. Across from the Post Office, a great place to eat a quick lunch after using the Internet. The friendly owner usually makes 2-3 dishes a day. Meals under 1,000T.
- Brick Guanz. M-Sat. The friendly owner and his hardworking staff usually update the white board with available dishes, if the item has a checkmark next to it, it's available. Down the street from the main square. Meals under 1,000T.
- Hurag (Хураг Зоогийн Газар). M-Su 9-5. A little more expensive than a guanz but cheaper than a restaurant. This guanz has an Inner Mongolian chef and serves stir-fry dishes typically found at restaurants. You need to purchase rice separately. Down the aisle next to the Black Market toward the vegetables on the right. Seats about 20. 1000-2500T.
