31 Peet Street
Ph. 753-5999
The great thing about owning a Mongolian restaurant is that you get to use names like Genghis Khan in your design. For example, at the Red Pepper on Peet St. you’ll find a large sign over the grill station that reads, The Grill of Genghis Khan. It certainly caught my attention. I could almost hear one of those old-time radio announcers, topped up with testosterone, bellowing out each syllable - ”THE GRILL OF GENGHIS KHAN!!” - as patrons timidly approached the cleaver wielding, pony tailed cook while proffering their plates of raw ingredients. With a title like that, it might have been more appropriate for customers to be hauling up crimson tinged slabs of beef, instead of broccoli florets and chicken shavings.
Despite the Genghis Khan invocation, the ambience of the Red Pepper on Peet St. was very much that of a cafeteria. It had an industrial tile floor. The ceiling was hung with a variety of colourful tiny flags from various countries; although, I didn’t understand the significance of that decorative gesture. A large Mongolian flag would have made more sense but I didn’t see even a tiny version of that particular national symbol. I sat at a banquette against one of the restaurants walls. The Red Pepper’s tables featured white tablecloths covered with glass (for easy cleaning) and individual sets of flatware tightly wrapped in paper napkins. There were a small number of other decorative touches, although none really caught my eye. I do remember my buddy Dave being especially fascinated by a vase filled with what he thought were flowers. Dave likes to be helpful when he knows I’m writing a review. In his helpful, earnest tone he asked, “Are those flowers fresh?” Recognizing the sincerity of his attempt to assist, it pained me to correct him. However, in the interest of accuracy, I gently replied, “No, Dave. Those are ostrich feathers.” (Dave’s a little near-sighted.)
For those who may be inclined to start with a soup course the Red Pepper does supply a daily pot. On the Monday Dave and myself visited it was chicken. However, I - as with most other diners that day – was more interested in leaving plenty of room for a good scoff from, “THE GRILL OF GENGHIS KHAN!!”
The formula at the Red Pepper is exquisitely simple and efficient. First you pick your table. Then, you head for the raw food bar. At the Red Pepper on Peet St. the raw food bar is designed to look like a market stall wagon. Patrons take a raw plate from the pile on the wagon and load it with anything the heart desires. Next you take your selection to the “GRILL” where somebody cooks it, puts it on a fresh plate and…voila! You’re free to repeat the process as many times as you wish.
I loved the fact that so many food items were on offer. You could choose from a selection that included: fresh cauliflower, bean sprouts, Chinese cabbage, bok choy, celery, mushrooms, sliced red onion, broccoli, red cabbage, sliced carrots, chopped green peppers, chow mien egg noodles, rice noodles, thick Mongolian noodles and shaved slices of raw chicken, pork and beef. I went for lots of broccoli, carrots, onions, green pepper and chicken. Dave, on the other hand, had a little of everything, including all three meats. I suspect if Mongolian countryside staples like yak, horsemeat and camelmeat had been available, he would have loaded up on those as well.
The first thing the cook asked was, “What kind of seasonings?” They have garlic, ginger, jalapeno pepper and chili pepper. I chose lots of garlic, ginger and a touch of chili pepper. Once these extras were thrown on top, the whole pile of raw stuffs was dumped onto the Red Pepper’s large oiled griddle plate. Then I stepped back to watch the pony tailed cook, with a type of cleaver in both hands, go to work on my lunch. He chopped and spread, stirred, pushed and spritzed until everything was cooked. It didn’t seem to take any more than a few minutes.
Finally, I was asked to choose a sauce to accompany my meal. The selection included a hot and spicy Mongolian, sweet and sour Mongolian, Teriyaki and honey and garlic. They all looked the same to me, very dark and mysterious. I took the hot and spicy Mongolian. It looked like molasses, except it poured faster. Take my advice though and pour the sauce somewhat liberally over your meal. It will bring out the flavours in your food. (By the way, the sauces are also a little on the sweet side.)
The food was cooked to the moment of doneness and no more. Everything tasted fresh, with lots of individual flavours coming through. The sauce was beautifully smoky with just the right level of spiciness. Our cook offered a serving of rice as well (which I accepted) but with the noodles, the rice was redundant. However, I savoured every morsel of my sautéed repast. So did Dave, who managed to wolf down his and return with more before I’d finished my first. (If you’re ever looking to back a winner in an eating competition, I know just the candidate.)
The Red Pepper’s desserts are of the regular, frozen, run-of-the-mill kind. I tried the Rocky Road cake. It was nothing to write home about. Mine tasted like the last piece from the box, a tad dry, as if it had been sitting in the display case for too long. But I did enjoy a very good cup of tea that arrived with the cake, in a handsome teapot. It was hot and strong, just the way I like it.
If I had my time back I wouldn’t have bothered with dessert at the Red Pepper because this restaurant is not about the desserts or the soups. It’s all about the fry-up, that wonderful array of fresh vegetables, noodles and meat. Sometimes I really crave a variety of very fresh vegetables (with a little meat) cooked simply and quickly. The Red Pepper fits that bill very nicely. Plus, it’s good for you and it’s a great deal for an all-you-can-eat affair. Our meal for two, with a glass of wine and a Pepsi, cost $30.18 (tip included). You can’t beat it and don’t forget the entertainment value in watching your food being cooked by a cleaver toting cook on…”THE GRILL OF GENGHIS KHAN!!”
Best Points:
The Red Pepper’s vegetables are as fresh as they get.
Areas for Improvement:
The Red Pepper needs to keep an eye on the quality of their previously frozen desserts.
Ratings Category:
The Red Pepper on Peet Street gets 8 points out of 10.