The “Rainbow Bridge” in Inner Mongolia

Osordorj Nyamsteren with his friend Yu Young at Solongo restaurant. 

Hundreds of Mongolian independent merchants, the survivors of the collapsed socialist era, patiently waited in a seemingly endless line of Russian GAZ-69 cars at the Zamiin Ude border. Among those heading to the small village of Erlian in Inner Mongolia to restock their markets was Osordorj Nyamtseren, a bold visionary who had recently left his job as a driver in pursuit of fabric trading. At the time, he was completely unaware that his vision would eventually lead to the flourishing of the first authentic Mongolian restaurant, expanding to five branches in Erlian. He also didn’t know he would establish various business brokerage services between Chinese and Mongolian people, open a kindergarten, and plant the seeds for a growing line of Mongolian stores in that small intersection of the two neighboring countries. 

Nyamtseren’s journey began with the reopening of the Chinese-Mongolian border, ending Inner Mongolia’s 40 years of isolation. “The 1990s was a big time for Mongolians. To combat the financial crisis caused by the shift from socialism to democracy, a big wave of people ventured to China,” he recalled. 

Five years prior, he received heartbreaking news. Nyamtseren’s father had died, and he learned of it through a military phone. This loss made him an orphan just before society transformed dramatically. The relentless changes of the era pushed him to be on his own, which felt overwhelming to a 25-year-old. However, he wasn’t entirely alone. His high school sweetheart, Tungalag Jambal, who had married him shortly after his return from the military and his father’s passing, was by his side.

After losing his driver’s job to democracy, Nyamtseren proposed the idea of importing silk and fabric from China to his wife. When that business slowed, the couple used the leftover fabric to open a tailor shop, relying on Jambal’s sewing skills. “Then again, there he was presenting his big idea of opening a restaurant in Erlian,” said Jambal. “Quickly adapting to changes, he is truly a business-minded man.”

 Nyamtseren with his wife Jambal Tungalag

Their 13-year fabric trading began in the deserted city of Erlian, which took 1-3 days to reach from Ulaanbaatar. For larger cities like Beijing, Dalian, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Hangzhou, their trips extended to 10–14 days. During these prolonged periods of travel, Nyamtseren observed fatigue among fellow merchants, particularly their struggles with surviving Chinese food during their continuous trips.

“The heavy seasoning, the abundance of spices, and the emphasis on leafy greens left few appealing options for Mongolians,” Nyamtseren explained. The full-time merchants grew weary of the repetitive meals, as they preferred plain, meat-centric dishes that suited Mongolian dietary practices. “We live and breathe meat,” he said with a chuckle.

Reflecting on the situation in 2003, he built the first rainbow bridge, a Mongolian restaurant named after his daughter, Solongo, which means “Rainbow.” He strategically chose Erlian as the location, a city that evolved from a deserted area with 50,000 residents into the largest marketplace for Mongolians within a decade. With only one border crossing into China by train and car, this small intersection became a bustling hub. He envisioned the aroma of his food drawing every merchant and traveler directly from the borders to the doors of Solongo. 

His vision came to life as the two-story restaurant with 12 tables became a remarkable success from the very first day. In just a month, long lines of customers waiting outside became a common sight. They were drawn to the restaurant, where the name “Solongo” was proudly displayed in Mongolian, Inner Mongolian, and Chinese. Not only did it become a comforting haven for merchants constantly on the move, but it also attracted Inner Mongolian and Chinese residents, fostering a vibrant community. 

Nyamtseren saw this cultural hub he created as an excellent opportunity to start a new service, acting as a broker between Chinese and Mongolian businesses. “That rascal is a sharp-witted guy. He picked up basic Chinese from me and practiced it through constant interactions with others, eventually using it for his brokerage services,” said Yu Young, a Chinese friend Nyamtseren met during his merchant days. 

Over the years, the restaurant branched out to five additional locations. The constant flow of customers showed that the menu crafted by his wife, a food technologist, was perfect for satisfying the tired travelers from beyond the border. However, as the restaurant expanded, Nyamtseren encountered a logistical challenge: he struggled to retain enough full-time workers willing to stay away from home as most of them were couples with children. Therefore, with sufficient savings, he courageously established a kindergarten in 2012. This provided a solution for their workers and Inner Mongolian parents, who wanted their children to stay connected to their cultural roots. The kindergarten started with one class of 20–25 students, two teachers, and one cook. 

In this way, Nyamtseren transformed Solongo restaurant into Solongo Solutions LLC, which operated smoothly with a steady income until the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in 2020. After two years of quarantine in Ulaanbaatar, he returned to the main restaurant to revive the business and eventually retire, passing the company to his second daughter, Bolormaa Nyamtseren. 

“Stepping into the abandoned space of my restaurant, covered in dust and clutter from our apartments, I feared we would struggle to get back on our feet and attract the same number of customers we used to,” said Nyamtseren. 

With the growing trend in Mongolia of store owners restocking their markets through online shops like Taobao, he worried that the demand for his restaurant might no longer exist. Despite this uncertainty, he reopened the restaurant within two weeks with his initial team: his daughter Bolormaa, the future owner, two main chiefs, one line cook, and one waitress. 

“It reminded me of how I started it all with my wife. However, this time I had connections all over Erlian, and it was easier than I imagined,” he said calmly. 

Now in 2024, thousands of Mongolians still form long lines at the Zamiin Ude border to enter Erlian. Among them are merchants who prefer working with their familiar stores in the Erlian market and travelers passing through on low-budget buses to Beijing, Shanghai, and Hohhot. The old Russian GAZ-69 cars have been replaced by Prius-31s, and conversations about the financial crisis have shifted to stopping by Solongo as soon as they cross the border. Solongo LLC is now successfully operating with two main branches, tourism and brokerage services, without the kindergarten. 

Reflecting on his journey, Nyamtseren emphasized that he never imagined he would establish these businesses amidst the transitions and changes of our constantly evolving society. One day you wake up and lose your job as society collapses. Another day, you wake up to a pandemic outbreak and have to abandon your business. “But that is how life is, and as messy as it is, it also gives abundant opportunities just if you can find them,” concluded Nyamtseren.