Latest Restaurant Review (Jenko’s Mongolian)
Jenko’s Mongolian & Cocktail Bar looks like any other local pub from the front of the building, but once you have walked through the cosy bar area you will find an incredible log cabin tucked away at the rear of the pub.
Even though the cabin is such a large open space it retains a warm and relaxing atmosphere with low level lighting and plenty of natural candle light, the dining area is set out with large solid wooden tables, if the weather is good there is a lovely decked terrace to sit and relax on. The Restaurant is decorated with many Mongolian features such as clothing and artwork.
As you walk through to the restaurant you can see food being prepared on the huge circular hotplate and a huge selection of fine ingredients tempting your taste buds before you even sit down.
Once we were seated we looked through the drinks lists which consisted of various wines, a good selection of gins and some very interesting cocktails. Colette decided to try the Screwball cocktail and had my favourite raspberry gin with a ginger ale. Colette’s cocktail was very impressive when it arrived at the table, with candy floss flowing out the glass.
There are a range of side dishes which you can either order as a starter or to accompany your main meal. We ordered a bowl of skin on chips and a halloumi salad to have with our main meal. You can also order garlic bread, cheesy garlic bread, chilli cheese chips, sweet potato fries or feta salad, ranging from £3 to £5 each.
A generous portion of skin on chips were soon delivered along with a really fresh and crisp halloumi salad.
The Mongolian barbecue is priced at £18.95 per person and £8.95 for children; you can return as many times as you like, so I would recommend that you don’t pile your dish up on your first visit or you will be too full to go up again and try a different selection. Meat is carefully selected from local butchers and most ingredients sourced locally.
There are so many dishes you can create with so many ingredients available and there are suggested recipes to follow if you are not quite sure what to try. There is a large choice of meat and fish to choose from which included strips of beef, pork, chicken, gammon, salmon, tuna and prawns. If you are a vegetarian fear not, there are pulses, beans and a couple of quorn options. There is a varied and wide range of vegetables to choose from as well as nuts, dried fruit and pineapple. Once you have selected from all your choices your next option is to spice it up and with a myriad of spices, herbs and sauces – again there is a mixed variety to choose from, there’s bound to be something to suit your taste buds!
Colette went first and chose salmon, green beans, onions, tomatoes, sundried tomatoes and a sweet chilli sauce. I chose chicken tikka with mixed peppers, onions, tomatoes, chick peas, fresh coriander, tikka sauce and little cumin and ginger spices. Once your ingredients are assembled in your bowl, simply hand it over to the Chef and it is cooked while you wait on the huge Mongolian grill, it’s very entertaining to watch as the chef tosses your ingredients from side to side with two long wooden swords. Several dishes can be cooked at the same time so you are not waiting long for your food. To accompany your dish there is a choice of rice, pasta or noodles which you help yourself to.
Luckily we both chose our ingredients well and were delighted with our meals and decided to return to try a different concoction. Our second selection was as equally good but neither of us could manage a third plateful as we wanted to save a little room for dessert!
Jenko’s are well known for their fantastic homemade desserts and are definitely worth a try! Colette chose the Strawberry Sundae Eton Mess and I was tempted by the Snickers Cheesecake, all desserts are priced at £5.95. If you are feeling too full you can take a dessert home, they will box it up for you.
Colette’s dessert consisted of a large dollop of cream mixed with chunky pieces of homemade meringue, topped with a scoop of strawberry ice cream and some very large strawberries – Colette said this was absolutely divine, a great end to her meal! My cheesecake had a lovely moist biscuit base and it was topped with thinly sliced pieces of a snickers chocolate bar, a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzled with caramel sauce, this was one of the best cheesecakes I have ever had – amazing!
On Sundays only a traditional carvery is served, between 12-3pm and you can east as much as you like for just £13.95 per person. If you fancy a Sunday lunch but don’t feel like going out then why not have it delivered, lunches start at £10 with a £3 delivery charge, you can also add a pudding for an extra charge.
The restaurant can be hired for private parties up to 90 and is popular for weddings, there is no charge for room hire and fixed price menus are available.
Jenko’s is a family run business who pride themselves on offering diners a relaxed atmosphere with friendly helpful staff and a fun unique dining experience. It is certainly a restaurant with a difference and we would highly recommend trying it for yourself – it is a fun and relaxing place where you choose exactly what you want to eat!!
Reviewed by Fleur Abel & Colette Clark
