Khan’s Mongolian Grill
When it comes to dining out on the Outer Banks, it’s not hard to see why Khan’s Mongolian Grill is a standout destination. Amid an abundance of fresh, healthy ingredients, is an open kitchen concept with a sizzling flattop grill and a lively atmosphere that draws locals and visitors alike.
Opened in October 2019, Khan’s Mongolian Grill in Kill Devil Hills is co-owned by Jack Chen and Jeremiah Miller, who you may know from Fuji Japanese Steakhouse just down the road, though this brightly colored, casual eatery on South Croatan Highway has a different feel. Mongolian cuisine is simple by nature, but the variety at Khan’s is in your choices.
“We tried to have a new concept for the Outer Banks area,” says Chen. “We have all the fresh ingredients that are cooked right away. The customer can go there and pick
whatever they desire – beef, shrimp, chicken, pork. It’s something new, and it’s also a healthy way of eating.”
“At a typical Mongolian grill, you don’t have very many options,” says Miller. “Here you can put whatever you would like in your bowl, and it doesn’t matter how much you put in your bowl.”
High-quality beef, chicken, and just-caught shrimp are options for the bowl, as well as flavorful Mongolian beef, scallops, and lamb. On the veggie side, there is an array of vibrant choices from green peppers to baby corn to bamboo shoots. Nothing is pre-made, and ingredients for the bowls are regularly replaced so the entire selection is always fresh.
The atmosphere is warm and friendly – in part due to front-of-the-house manager Skyler Cook, who is normally the first face you see when you walk through the front door. There’s also a covered outdoor patio if you prefer to eat outside.
Both Chen and Miller bring a ton of Outer Banks restaurant experience to Khan’s. Chen, who has been a sushi chef since 1994, has opened more than one restaurant on the beach. Miller has more than a decade of front-of-the-house experience, and the chefs’ joint venture, Fuji, is a mainstay along the central Outer Banks.
In the wake of a fire that closed Fuji’s doors for almost a year, Chen and Miller started working on the concept for a fast-casual restaurant with a lot of flavors. They got the idea from a Virginia Beach-based restaurant and expanded on it, adding appetizers like bang bang shrimp and crab rangoon in addition to more ingredients for the bowls.
When Khan’s Mongolian Grill opened its doors, the building with a small event space was brand new and the theme was healthy Mongolian cuisine for everyone. The owners made a point to try and source local ingredients when possible and always focused on choice, adding rotating drink and appetizer specials to complement the bowls.
“We try to put as much out there as we can so customers have more to choose from,” says Chen. “You can get a lot of proteins and vegetables. We have white rice, brown rice, tortillas. It’s good for healthy eating.”
After running top-notch restaurants on the Outer Banks for more than 20 years, Chen says the thing he likes the most about the culinary world is exploring new concepts.
“You can do better and better,” he says, noting that right now he’s focused on healthy cuisine. “That’s why I’m always doing something different. We can only improve with the menus and different kinds of food and the quality.”
Author: Lexi Holian
Born between the ocean and sound on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, Alexi Holian can’t remember a time when she wasn’t writing. Along with contributing to island publications like My Outer Banks Home, The Wedding Guide to the Outer Banks, and Outer Banks This Week, she has covered everything from Miami food festivals to St. Barth sailing for travel and hospitality brands around the world.
