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Mongolian Wok on Carnival Cruise Line

Mongolian Wok on Carnival Liberty

Gina Kramer

Contributor

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Load up a bowl of all your favorite ingredients, hand it to the cook and watch 'em shake it up. Carnival's Asian stir-fry bar is one of the line's most loved buffet stations. The options are endless and best of all it's free, so you can come back anytime and try that sauce or topping you didn't get to earlier.

Ambiance

Mongolian Wok shares the ambiance of its neighboring food stations at the Lido Buffet or on the pool deck. (Location varies by ship.) It's a large, bustling space, where lines form quickly, chatter abounds and chefs call orders to each other and to hungry patrons.

The look of the buffet itself varies by ship; most versions embrace some sort of a theme -- such as Rosie the Riveter on Carnival Valor. Newer ships' buffets are more simplified and contemporary, though you'll still see predictable Carnival accents like artificial palm trees and decorative lighting fixtures.

Lines typically peak at noon, when the station opens for lunch, and between 2 and 2:30 p.m., just before close.

Meals

Mongolian Wok on Carnival Sensation

Customizing meals at Mongolian Wok is simple. You start by grabbing a bowl, choosing your desired noodles and filling it with as many vegetables as you'd like from a salad bar-style counter. Ingredients include rice noodles, bean sprouts, peas, green beans, corn kernels, mushrooms and onions.

Once you make your way through the line to the chefs, you hand over your bowl and select a meat -- options include chicken, beef or mussels -- and one of three sauces: black bean (mild), Thai barbeque (medium) or Szechuan (hot). The chef will then dump all the contents into a wok (Chinese-style cooking pan) and stir it up until it's ready to go. Note: Meats are already cooked and simmering on another burner, to ensure the line moves smoothly.