Gobi Hot Pot and Mongolian Grill on Madison’s west side is divided in two.
At the front, double-sided tables hold steaming vats of soup, where diners select ingredients and cook them directly in the broth. In the back, a wide black grill anchors the space, with a buffet of vegetables, noodles, thinly sliced meats and sauces that guests combine into custom orders before handing them to the chefs.
The scene feels both lively and intimate. The restaurant’s name, Gobi, references the Gobi Desert, which stretches across both Mongolia and China.
“It is a good combination of two,” owner Sida Huang said. “You have the grill representing Mongolia, and the hot pot is traditional for China.”
Huang, originally from Fujian, China, opened Gobi on Madison’s west side last June with a partner, expanding on a string of successful downtown restaurants including Ichiban Sichuan on Park Street and Taste of Sichuan on State Street…