THE BUZZ

▲ Zhou’s Mongolian BBQ runner Henry Li poses at the front counter of the former Wausau mall culinary fixture’s new location in Rothschild. Li said now that they have their own space they are looking at adding more food to their menu in the future. (Evan J. Pretzer)

Zhou’s Mongolian BBQ is back

The former fixture in Wausau’s mall has a new standalone spot in Rothschild

Wausau’s mall came to an end last

April after decades in existence and now former fixture Zhou’s Mongolian BBQ is back in business and charting its new solo future in the region.

The restaurant famous for its bourbon chicken has existed in one form or another since 2000. It is now open at a standalone location on East Grand Avenue in Rothschild, has been operating there for about a month and, as principal manager Henry Li said through translator Arthur Chang, getting to where they are now was a journey hampered by the pandemic.

“Preparation for this began last year,” Li said. “Looking for a location was not easy and here we needed to do remodeling. This, and coordination with contractors and the City did take a long time.”

COVID-19 also changed the nature of what Li and his family do alongside their new spot. While people would stay when they were offering their dishes to customers at Wausau’s now-demolished mall, Li explained people now have been coming in to get food before leaving. This has not changed their recipes and concepts but, so food can be as good at home as it is when out, they have changed how it is cooked and packaged up for people.

“When we prepare, the chicken is crispier instead of tender,” he said. “Otherwise, the chicken will become cold and the flavor isn’t there for travel times. We also put sauce to the side and not on top like when you would eat at the mall. This keeps rice from being soggy on the way home.”

In this space memories of past Zhou’s runners Lian Yun Mu and Hougui Zhou and their mall moments adorn the walls. The tables shine with a polish that reflects the bright future for the culinary classic, the kitchen is live and crackles with the smell of meals yet to come and, for Li and his family, challenges are a given, but the hopes and chances they have are just beginning.

“We have to devote more to advertising and other things to bring traffic in,” Li said. “But, in the long run, we’re going to bring in more varieties and Chinese dishes besides bourbon chicken. People are willing to come any time now, that’s why we want sushi and more in the future.”

Customers of the mall location are pleased the restaurant is back in business.

“I had been checking for them this week,” Wausau resident Roger Merry said. “It is good they are back in business. When they were in the mall I used to go down there almost every day.”

Zhou’s Mongolian BBQ is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, closed on Tuesdays and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays. They can be reached by calling 715-841-0090 or by visiting 1122 E. Grand Ave. in Rothschild.