A warrior's appetite: bd’s Mongolian Grill opens in South Side Works

Bd's Mongolian Grill, is  the "Chuck E. Cheese of Asian food for adults."

At least that's how my vegetarian- partner-in crime described it after our visit to the brand new addition to the South Side Works.

The restaurant chain, with locations in 13 states across the East Coast and Midwest, opened its newest location at 428 S. 27th St. this week.

Bd's was created in 1992 in the image of a Mongol feast that large groups of soldiers and hunters would eat after returning home to celebrate their success, according to the restaurant's website. "Communing in banquet-style pavilions, the Mongols would create a ‘feast' for all to enjoy by combining slivers of meat and vegetables, sliced with their razor-sharp swords, then cooked on their overturned shields over a blazing fire," the website said.

Bd's menu is forged in this style, giving patrons the opportunity to eat warrior-like amounts with their clans. A type of pick-it-yourself buffet offers three ingredient stations from which to fill your bowl and create the ultimate stir-fry.

The first, meat & seafood, is outfitted with options ranging from mahi mahi to New York strip steak, to meatballs, as well as a selection of rice noodles, lo mein and rotini. The second station, vegetables, offers tofu, bean sprouts, pineapple, bok choy and bamboo shoots. The third station, sauces and spices, offers Pad Thai, Szechuan, Mongo Marinara, Shanghai BBQ and Sweet and Sour sauces that can be added to your DIY dish, as well as Caribbean Jerk, Cajun, Montreal Steak and Chilli Pepper spices.

From here, you walk your bowl over to the seven foot, 600-degree grill, where a chef cooks your food in front of you. For vegetarian and vegan customers, bd's has thought of you and your food preparation needs. If you ask one of the employees manning the ingredient lines, they will take your food to the back grill and have it prepared separately for you.

For those overcome with ordering anxiety or indecisiveness in the face of so many ingredients and combination possibility, bd's provides recipe cards, which include Pad Tahi, bd's Sketti and Signature Mongolian BBQ, to help your head help your stomach.

After much deliberation, I opted for a self-designed Asian spaghetti of sorts, consisting of lo mein noodles, mushrooms, onions, tofu, cilantro and Mongo Marinara to bring it all together.

My vegetarian partner-in-crime (VPIC) chose a more traditional dish: lo mein noodles, tofu, water chestnuts, carrots, broccoli, baby corn, bamboo, all topped with Pad Thai and Sariachi sauces.

"This place is so confusing," she said. "I don't think I've ever been so confused before."

If you need to burn off some energy while you're waiting for your food to cook on the grill, bd's has Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em Robots, a magic 8-ball and Jenga to entertain impatient stir fryers waiting to gorge themselves.

And there's the gong at the helm of the grill for those who choose to tip the frantic grillers, or for those who just want to ring a gong, like myself.

VPIC and I both enjoyed our bowls thoroughly, which was not difficult to do since we chose every ingredient that went into our meals, down to the sauces and spices. Our meals were accompanied by our choice of brown or white rice, and tortillas or lettuce to make burritos or lettuce wraps, which gave way to even more delicious combinations.

I ended opting for the unlimited option, a.k.a all-you-can-eat, for an extra $2, because after all, this is America, and I want things my way. This time I was prepared for the freedom options and went for a more traditional Oriental offering; rice noodles, water chestnuts, pineapple, and bean sprouts, topped with sweet and sour sauce. The second bowl was delicious, but by the time I was done, I was filled to capacity with everything bd's Mongolian Grill had to offer.

Our bill came to $31.01 for two bowls plus the $2 all you-can-eat-charge. Bd's is a somewhat pricey option for most college students, $8 for lunch and $13 for dinner, but with the power of absolute choice of your meal and the indulgence of all-you-can-eat, it's worth it.