I like Chinese all you can eat buffets. My family has found one with a Mongolian grill/BBQ in it. I’ve never eaten this sort of thing before, but I’ve given it a couple of tries, and I think I like it. Any suggestions? I don’t like really spicy stuff, but I DO like being able to create my own special dish (lots of carrots, bell pepper, mushrooms, and a little pork). I stay away from the oils and sauces that are marked “Spicy”. Is sesame oil hot? What about other standard oils and flavorings? Is it OK to wander over with my salad plate and grab some shredded carrot, or is there a danger of cross-contamination with the raw meat?
I’m afraid I can’t be of too much help on Mongolian grill, but with a bottle of sesame oil in the kitchen and a bunch of housemates who love to use it, I can assure you that it is not hot. I personally have trouble tasting it in small quantities, so it’s a pretty subtle flavor. My aforementioned housemates, however, all think it’s pretty much the greatest thing since sliced bread and use it all the time when they cook.
Given your location, the restaurant staff are probably going to label all of the spicy stuff as spicy. Teriyaki, sesame oil, ginger water, and the house special are probably fine. If you were posting in South East Asia, I’d be more worried about the common perception of spicy being different from what you expect. Each place has a different selection, though, so be specific if you aren’t sure.
Provided they have different serving utensils for each item, you should be fine getting raw veggies to eat. Be sure to use a clean plate.
Enjoy your newly expanded horizon!
Yeah, I always use a clean plate, and in AYCE places I always make sure to eat a full plateful of salad and/or raw veggies first, with a healthy dressing. Then, and only then, I allow myself to get food that might have some starch or oil content. I find that I will make better choices if I eat that salad plate first.
I live in Fort Worth, and this restaurant is also in Fort Worth. We have quite a respectable Asian population here, though of course our biggest minority (and it might be a majority by now, I don’t know) is Mexican/Hispanic. I love Mexican food, but I can’t eat too much of it, or eat it too often. The carbs and the fat just don’t fit into my diet.
One more thing, the Mongolian grill has a large tip jar (labelled TIPS, just to clear up any confusion). I usually put a dollar into this jar. Is this normal? Or is it just another example of the way that tip jars are taking over?
Ah, no, that’s not for money. Common misconception. You’re supposed to tip the jar over as you leave. It’s a Mongolian custom. It brings good luck.
Sesame oil is not hot, but has a very pungent flavor. Use sparingly.
The trick with these places, I find, is to load up on sauce. Really really lots of sauce, as most of it evaporates and your food will be very dry otherwise.
As for the spiciness of the sauces, dip a finger to test.
No, please don’t do that. That’s vile.
Spoon some out on a plate and taste from there if you want to find out what it tastes like.
Meh, it won’t kill you - you’re a doc, you know that (think of the number of fingers dipped in sauces in restaurants where you can’t see the kitchen!).
Good job I didn’t suggest just dipping your tongue straight into the pot. 
The Mongolian grill I’ve been going to lately has a tip jar by the cooking table. I usually throw in a buck, and the staff seems to be happy with that. I’d wager the tip jar is there because it’s both catching on to put a tip jar out in case people are gullible enough to fill it, and because the staff puts on a small show by having the cooking table visible.
The tongue would frankly be more sanitary than the fingers. The fingers are a great vector for spreading E. Coli and Hepatitis A.
Laws and regulations are passed to attempt to enforce minimum sanitary precautions on food handlers, this does in effect reduce the risk for catching those diseases. Opening up the food bar for patrons to dip their hands into it loses us all the benefits of staff hygiene practices and ups the risk all that much further.
I’ve treated Hepatitis A which was passed via restaurant food due to bad handwashing. It wasn’t fun. People do die of Hep A every year (though most recover from it), and we lose some to E. Coli too.
So just don’t do it.
So…picking up a shrimp, sniffing it, giving it a little lick, then tossing it back on the pile is a bad thing?
Wow, you’ve helped people recover from being dead from Hep A?
My respect for you as a Doctor increases by leaps and bounds 
Good lord. That jar is for asparagus tips. I swear, people have no sense of decorum these days.
Sesame Oil is very sweet, though some folks find it as smokey tasting as it is sweet. I adore it, and use it liberally when making Korean food. Hot, it is not.
If you are worried about hot ( thought not in the traditional sense ) you might want to be cautious with the ginger. It isn’t usually hot on the tongue, but can wreak havoc with the more tender tummies out there.
I do love me some Mongolian BBQ. The best I’ve ever had was on the road in LA where the new Police Academy is. It’s right across from it. My gosh, the place is just the cat’s pajamas. Well worth the airfare from New York.
Cartooniverse
So sesame oil would be great for pork. I already know that I can’t eat much ginger. My daughter adores it and uses it frequently in her cooking. I always use proper utensils when getting my food from a buffet. This place doesn’t seem to have a lot of small children in their customer base, and the diners all seem to follow common sense in hygiene. So do the staff.
I’m not quite brave enough to try tipping over the jar. These folks handle my food!