I always like a restaurant where ordering the food is as fun as eating it. And at Blu Bambu, that is exactly the case. This small, sunny pan-Asian fare restaurant sits along Pier 4 in the Inner Harbor, dwarfed by its neighboring monstrosities, Hard Rock Café and ESPN Zone. The tiny but tasteful Blu Bambu specializes in healthy, fresh cuisine. And, it's college budget-friendly.
I was surprised to see a locally owned restaurant among the numerous chains in the Inner Harbor. Blue Bambu is owned by Jean Chiang and Rock Fu, a couple who live in the D.C. area and own a larger Chinese restaurant called Charlie Chiang's.
The inside is simple but modern with Asian themed touches. Classical music plays in the background, giving the restaurant a sophisticated feel. The service is friendly, fast and full of smiles.
The big appeal of this restaurant is what it calls "The Exclusive Blu Bambu Mongolian Stir-Fry Bar." And what is Mongolian Stir-Fry, you might ask? In what's more traditionally known as Mongolian Barbeque, you fill your own bowl with various raw vegetables, tofu, noodles and other ingredients.
After you give your mixture to the man behind the counter, he stir fries it with a meat and a sauce of your choice and pours the result over rice. Even better, you can watch your concoction come to life, as it's flipped and tossed in a giant wok.
On its stir-fry bar, Blu Bambu offers carrots, mushroom, broccoli, snow peas, corn, noodles, tomatoes, peppers, bean sprouts and tofu. The wooden bowl you're handed after paying at the register may seem small, but keep in mind you can pile it as high as you want. For $6.99, it's all-you-can-eat.
After handing over my bowl filled with carrots, snow peas, mushrooms and broccoli, I requested Teriyaki sauce. The restaurant also offers Mongolian BBQ, garlic, ginger, coconut yellow curry, spicy Hunan, custom chef's and Szechuan sauces.
The friendly employee I ordered from assured me that Teriyaki was a very mild sauce, but watch out for the hot ones like Szechuan. After smelling the aromatic coconut yellow curry sauce from the table next to me, I decided I'd try it next time.
As I waited, I munched on a vegetable spring roll filled with carrots, cabbage and what tasted like egg. Though it was crisp and crunchy, my roll could have been warmer. I've heard the shrimp spring roll is better. Other appealing appetizers include pan-fried dumplings, edamame (soy beans) and wonton soup.
My stir-fry was delivered to my table within five minutes, steaming and sizzling hot. The snow peas were slightly sweet, the carrots were crisp and the broccoli had the perfect crunch to it.
Overall, the meal was quite impressive. However, I don't think I balanced my bowl of veggies well, and I wished I had taken more broccoli and less carrots. It could have used more chicken, too. Don't wait to eat your stir-fry, as it won't stay hot for long.
My portion of stir-fry was generous, but not overwhelming. The price also seemed reasonable. I paid $22 for two stir fries and two vegetable rolls. Also on the menu are sushi; "Crispy Crunchy Entrees," such as tempura, fried rice, and noodle dishes, such as Pad Thai. Strangely, the restaurant also sells bags of chips. Chips and pad Thai, not a good match. Avoid all of these and stick to what Blu Bambu does best, Mongolian stir-fry.
Apparently Blu Bambu serves desserts, but they aren't on the menu. After asking one of the guys behind the counter, and hearing him list items such as chocolate dipped cheesecake, I decided to pass. This is an Asian restaurant, not a Cheesecake Factory!
The build-your-own approach of the Mongolian Stir-Fries is unique, appealing and fun. Blu Bambu not only offers good food but also a great dining experience.
