Yes, pho is the current “it” dish when it comes to Asian cuisines. And some foodies might argue Mongolian barbecue is pedestrian. Who cares? It's fucking delicious. At Great Wall Mongolian BBQ in La Habra, the waitstaff are super-attentive, greeting incoming patrons with loud hellos, followed by garrulous goodbyes upon departure. But the food is the main event, and there's a lot of it for cheap. The dinner special, which runs $6.50, is all-you-can-eat after 5 p.m. While your waiter heats some tea, head for the large, metal buffet table full of noodles, meat (thinly sliced, freeze-dried lamb, chicken and beef) and fresh vegetables. Load your bowl up with as much as it will hold before moving to the sauce trays, where you'll face a selection of soy sauce, cooking wines and oils. A large sign offers advice on flavor combinations from sweet-and-sour to savory. Food chemists can create their ideal concoction, then leave the bowl on the small kitchen window, from whence an expert chef will dump the contents onto a large, scorching-hot, flat-topped metal griddle and use a yardstick to move it all around until it's cooked. You'll find the results go well with hot tea or Tsingtao beer. $$
