An honest review of Melbourne’s very first Mongolian eatery!
MGL Mongolian Restaurant
15 Blackburn Rd, Blackburn
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Living in Melbourne means having the world’s pantry right at your doorstep. In what other city can a single day take your palate from an Italian laneway café in the morning, to a vibrant Ethiopian table at midday, to a succulent Chinese meal by night?
No passport or jet lag required—just a quick drive across town!
My latest craving led me straight to MGL Mongolian Restaurant, Melbourne’s very first Mongolian eatery. Located on a quiet, rail side street in Blackburn, it’s an unexpected home for the robust cuisine that once sustained Genghis Khan’s armies. Inside, the cozy dining room is wrapped in bright, colourful bunting and traditional Buddhist temple motifs.
Owner Sharenqimuge relocated from Ulaanbaatar to Melbourne in 2024. Driven by a craving for the tastes of home, she opened MGL earlier this year to introduce authentic Mongolian comfort food to the city. While she only speaks a little English, digital QR-code ordering and English menus make ordering easy enough.
Our meal began with a simmering cauldron of traditional Milk Tea ($58.00). In Mongolian nomadic culture, serving this brew to guests is the ultimate mark of hospitality. Unlike sugary Western teas, this is a savoury, dairy-forward affair where tea takes a back seat to creamy milk.
It starts with butter melting in the pot before accompaniments are added to simmer: hard milk curd candy, toasted millet, fried donuts, and sweet milk skin. As the add-ins soften, it transforms into something closely resembling a soup that is well worth experiencing.
We kicked off the savoury dishes with Khuushuur ($24.80), traditional Mongolian meat pies packed with juicy minced beef and pan-fried. Spooning over spicy chili oil added a numbing edge to every bite.
Next came the steamed lamb dumplings ($22.80), Buuz. Mutton and lamb dominate traditional Mongolian cooking, heavily shaped by the country’s pastoral heritage. Wrapped in thick, handmade wrappers and served with vinegar and chili, their bold flavor offers a distinct twist on familiar Japanese gyoza or Chinese dumplings. For extra, you can also order them served in a piping hot bowl of broth ($28.00).
We finished with the Beef rice bowl ($22.80), a stomach warmer for the freezing Mongolian steppes. Tender, hearty beef stew rests over rice and creamy mashed potatoes, balanced by crisp cabbage and carrot pickles that cut right through the richness.
Now I can officially stamp Mongolian food in my culinary passport—and I didn’t even have to cross the Great Wall of China to do it. That’s Melbourne for you!
Images: Supplied