From the outside, it looked more like a warehouse of some sort and one would never think of venturing beyond its doors, but push open the green, printed glass doors and you’ll be in for a surprise — a splendid culinary feast that is unbelievably affordable than you would expect.

I have passed by this place several times in the past two years but somehow, I never thought of exploring until I received three emails recommending the place, plus word-of-mouth recommendations from those who have been there. Oh okay, so off we went at 2 p.m. on Saturday, not sure if the place was like the same as the others that ends lunchtime at 2 p.m. but it was miraculously open. The inside is just like an ordinary canteen, with round tables dominating the place and a small aquarium filled with guppy fish near the counter. A food staffer named Chen handed us menus and we browsed through it, wondering how tiny the servings were judging from the $1 to $10 prices advertised.

I ordered the sizzling tilapia which was brought to the table on a hot iron plate wrapped in foil and literally sizzling on a delicious sauce, and a huge serving of rice. I also tried the $8 spicy fried chicken with bones (without bones also available if you prefer), a perfect chaser for your favorite drink.

My out-to-eat buddies ordered the Bokchoy and mushrooms, a serving of egg fried rice, and crispy fried shrimps. Chen convinced us to try the breaded fried shrimp which was served on an attractive platter with white sauce in the center.

The place may not carry the best “restaurant atmosphere,” but the food is superb, the servings generous and the prices great.

The menu will give you a wide selection of “Sunny’s Greatest Hits,” (sounds like the cover of a song book) but these are all-time favorites ranging from $3 to $6 such as spicy shredded pork, roast duck or pork, spring rolls, noodles, fried fish sticks, and more — your choice of spicy or non-spicy food.

Try the clay pot specialties cooked in authentic Chinese cooking style such as mushroom chicken, pork intestine, seafood with tofu or mushrooms and spicy eggplant, or any of the Sunny’s Sizzlers served hot on an iron plate.

Get the soup of the day, fried dumplings, spring rolls, shao mai, fried wontons, spicy potato salad, cucumber, or papaya salad — all at $1 each. You can also order from the various bento meal sets for take-out between $5 to $6 such as the mapo tofu, roast pork, fried fish, shrimp vegetables and more. The bento sets include the main course, rice, soup, and side dishes.

Hot tea or ice tea, or soft drinks are available for $1, beer at $2 and Shaojiu at $5 each. Sunny’s Café serves everything hot and freshly prepared and you don’t have to wait forever for your order. Check it out and try their promise of “leaving Sunny’s with a full stomach and a big burp.”

Sunny’s Café is open from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily. It is located a few yards past the former MGM Garment factory. Only cash is accepted for now. For reservations, call 235-6666.

This article was first published HERE

fried beef spare ribs

IF you crave for Chinese food on Saipan, you have a lot of places to go, as long as you choose the right dining hours. We were not looking for any specific cuisine early on Friday night but when we passed by Happiness Chinese Restaurant in Garapan, we decided to try it out.

The restaurant is one of the few surviving establishments in the area that have not put up a “Closed” or “For Rent” sign.

We went in and headed to a corner table. A food staffer handed us menus. Not hungry yet, it took us forever to browse the menu until I decided to try the $12 fried beef sparerib with spicy salt and a serving of rice. My buddies ordered the $9 fried chicken wings with hot pepper and the $9 fried rice Fujian style.

The food staff served my fried beef spareribs first on a small platter — all business and without any frills whatsoever. The rice followed after several minutes. The fried chicken followed, and after more waiting, the fried rice. In fairness, the spareribs tasted good albeit way too spicy.

When only two slices of the fried chicken slices were left, we ventured to ask the food staff if they had some sauce to go with it. She immediately shook her head.

“Some catsup?” we tried again, trying to suppress laughter to which she said “oh we have.” So my buddy got some catsup to dip the last two slices of chicken in. After having eaten in so many restaurants, I guess I took it for granted that fried foods always come with sauces.

We were the only customers but it took some time to get a refill of water.

As I said, the food is okay, but don’t expect generous servings if you’re used to sharing. One serving is good for one not-so-hungry person.

The restaurant’s interior is a mix of traditional and contemporary décor, with Chinese characters sprawled on the walls between wood and brick designs. A long shelf on one wall was filled with Chinese jars and ceramic pots for sale.

Happiness Chinese Restaurant serves a variety of soups from the $8 tofu with vegetables to the $48 braised shark fin and club miso, appetizers, fish and seafood specialties such as boiled abalone, boiled sea cucumber with mushroom, steamed fresh fish, lobster, and other seafood, poultry dishes which includes the $55 Happiness original duck with soy sauce and chicken dishes, meat dishes including pork and beef dishes. You can also check out the hot pot choices such as the seafood or beef shabu-shabu, seasonal vegetables, and tofu covered crab sauce — all within the $9 to $45 price range.

Vegetarians are not left out as the restaurant offers a wide variety of egg and vegetable choices from $8 to $18 per order, cereals and noodle dishes within the $5 to $18 range.

Cap your meals with any of the favorite Chinese desserts such as bean pudding, custard, steamed egg, tapioca with red beans, almond jelly, and steamed edible bird’s nest.

Happiness Chinese Restaurant is located on Cpl. Derence Jack Road in Garapan — follow the road going to the Fiesta Resort & Spa passing Winchell’s. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. for dinner daily. For reservations, call 233-9468. This article was first published HERE

http://ontheraks.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post-new.php

for a place to eat. We drove around the side streets several times before remembering this restaurant located across from the Fiesta Resort & Spa. Sure enough, they were still open but the restaurant was deserted. An eager wait staffer stationed outside the restaurant ushered us in and handed out menus. I ordered the boiled, ho

t spicy fish and a serving of rice, and delighted in taking photos of the graceful movements of several goldfish in the huge aquarium next to our table as I waited for my order. My out-to-eat buddies ordered pork chops and gave in to the recommendation of the wait staffer for their $9 fried rice which she said was enough for three of us.

The pork chops were served after a few minutes, along with a medium plate of fried rice which in reality was not enough for one hungry person so my buddies ordered an additional serving of steamed rice but they cleared up their plates in world record time.

Pork chops

My order came some time later — boiled, hot and spicy slices of fish swimming in oily soup on a bed of steamed kangkong. Language barrier is another issue and I had to call the wait staffer twice to serve my rice but in fairness, my fish was delicious, albeit super spicy that I had to sip cold water several times and fan my tongue.

The prices at Kazan Tei may be a bit steep and the servings may be designed for people on a diet and leave you wanting for more, but the food is good.

Kazan Tei is your other option to go to when the craving for Chinese food hits you at past midnight or in the early morning hours.

Check out Kazan Tei’s selection of appetizers from $3 to $20 such as jelly fish with soy sauce, sliced Chinese roast pork, soya pork hocks, hot sour cucumber, Chinese salted black egg, vegetable pickles garlic taste and more.

For seafood lovers, Kazan Tei offers stewed superior abalone prepared in various delectable ways, fresh steamed fish, fried fish sweet and sour, or spicy sour sauce with shrimps, fried or baked lobster crabs, oyster with ginger and onion, sautéed fried squid, spicy shrimps, and other choices from $12 to $55. Explore the variety of pork, chicken and beef dishes, rice and noodle dishes from $6 to $10 or the hot pot choices from $9 to $30
If you are not into meat, you can pick out any of the vegetable dishes from $7 to $10. Dimsum is also available at Kazan Tei Restaurant. Choose from steamed, fried or boiled meat dumpling, spring rolls, frying fried cake, almond jelly or tapioca and ice cream.

Cap your meals with beverages like soft drinks, iced teas and fruit juices are $3, beer at $4 or choose from a selection of liquors. You can also have your fill of Chinese hot tea at $1 per person.

Kazan Tei is open daily from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch, and from 5 p.m. to 4 a.m. for dinner. Major credit cards are accepted. For reservations, call 233-4139. This article was first published HERE

http://ontheraks.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post-new.php?post_type=post

We were at Myung Dong Korean Restaurant in Garapan at past 9 p.m. on Thursday and we had the whole place to ourselves.

I was not that hungry (or so I thought) and looked for something light but the food staff convinced me to try the Bulgogi Korean style barbecued beef for $15. The food staff brought a stove to our table with a pan of marinated beef strips.

My buddies ordered the boneless beef ribs set. As we were the only customers, the staffers got busy and pampered us, doing the grilling and slicing of our food for us.

We munched on the usual side dishes which were served to us as we waited for our dinner to be cooked.

Eating in a restaurant where the food was being prepared on your table took away the mystery of how your dinner came to be, and it was hard to control ourselves from spearing the meat from the grill straight to our mouths.

Halfway into our dinner, the restaurant’s assistant manager came out and prepared another dish for us at our table — this time lean beef strips with noodles. She then served the food and let us enjoy the rest of our dinner. With the generous servings, we were not able to finish our food.

For drinks, we had some beer and the iced tea that most Korean restaurants on island serve.

The spacious restaurant can accommodate up to 150 people at a time, with tables ready for grilling food, regular tables, a tatami section which is continuous with the main dining room and VIP rooms which diners can use for private conferences and meetings.

Drop by Myung Dong restaurant and try grilling your own dinner from the meat dishes menu such as the pan-broiled beef ribs, marinated beef ribs, grilled beef sirloin or pork spareribs, spicy braised short ribs ranging from $15 to $20.

Not in the mood for grilled foods? You can try any of the main dishes such as Korean cold noodle soup, dolsot bibimbap or rice sizzling stone pot, grilled fish set, soybean paste stew set, spicy beef soup set, and more. The main dishes are within the $8 to $15 price range.

From the ala carte menu, you can go for seafood like lobster, mangrove crabs, spicy stir-fried squid, acorn jelly salad, sashimi, Korean beef kelaguen, glazed pig’s feet, and other delicious dishes.

Orders come with soup, rice, and side dishes. Choose from the wide selection of drinks and beverages including beer, hot or cold sake, Schochu, wines, whisky, soft drinks, fruit juices and ice tea to cap your dinner at Myung Dong.

Myung Dong Korean Restaurant is located on the second floor of Relax Massage across from Fiesta Resort & Spa in Garapan. They are open for dinner from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. every day, but they are planning to resume serving lunch soon. Major credit cards are accepted. For reservations or more information, call 233-3355.

http://www.mvariety.com/out-to-eat/grilled-feast-at-myung-dong-restaurant.php?Itemid=0

hot fried chicken wings

THE bright red and yellow billboard announcing Miah’s on Middle Road a few meters away from Fresh Market caught our attention as we were scouting for a place to eat late on Friday evening.

The restaurant was deserted but when we came in, a woman in apron appeared and waved us to a table. She disappeared and a young Chinese girl gave us a menu. We asked for two more because it was already running late and we can’t spend the whole night waiting for each one to finish.

Conversation was almost impossible. The girl tried her best to speak English and understand us, while we, who don’t speak Chinese or Korean, tried our best to translate what we wanted to order. I almost lost my patience when she had to make a trip to the kitchen each time we asked her about a certain dish from the menu to check if they had it.

I asked for the steamed yellow fish and hoped they had it. It took another three minutes of asking and rephrasing my question before the wait staff understood and went to the kitchen to ask if they had it. I also ordered chopped steaks, which required another trip to the kitchen.

steamed fish

My buddies ordered Bulgogi and a serving of hot chicken wings. The girl served us four side dishes which we munched on as we waited for our orders.

Despite the language barrier and the numerous trips to the kitchen, the food was good. My steamed yellow fish came in a spicy sauce that blended with the mixed flavors of spices and sesame seeds.

Our meal was almost finished, with buddy Jeanette digging into my steamed fish and Arnold’s Bulgogi while she waited for her hot wings.

Finally, when she only had one spoonful of rice left, her order came — 12 crispy fried chicken wings neatly arranged on a platter and sprinkled with sesame seeds on top.

Looking at it, I was apprehensive but I picked up one and took a bite. I went rigid as my tongue went from shock to numb to burning hot. The menu should have read “very hot or super hot wings.” Our tolerance to spicy foods is somewhat higher but the hot wings went beyond out taste bud’s level of endurance. Thankfully, I found a bar of Hershey’s chocolate in my bag which we munched on to ease the burning sensation in our mouths. If you order hot wings from Miah’s Restaurant menu, maybe you should tell the wait staff not to make it super hot if you cannot tolerate too spicy food.

You can also check out other dishes such as the Korean style chicken galbi which the girl said is the restaurant’s specialty, and other chicken, beef and pork dishes, seafood and fish delights, steamed food, and pancake recipes. You can also order meal sets priced from $7 to $10 such as stone pot bibimbap or mixed rice with vegetables, noodles, steamed dumplings, and more. Stew or soup range from $7 to $30 per order.
If you’re not that hungry, you can go for any of the sandwiches and burgers or salads from $2 to $6. Beverages are from $2 to $6 such as Oolong tea, beer, Soju, milk and fruit juices.

Miah’s is planning to open an internet café inside the restaurant very soon. The place has rooms which diners can use for special conferences or private dinners.

Only cash is accepted for now. Miah’s is open from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. every day. For reservations or inquiries, call 235-6116. This article was first published HERE

http://www.mvariety.com/out-to-eat/spicy-korean-dinner-at-miahs.php?Itemid=0

LUAU. It is one word that conjures a thousand and one images of Hawaii and sumptuous dishes. But you need not fly several hours and spend thousands of dollars to partake of authentic Hawaiian favorites because you can have them anytime on Saipan.

Kalua pork

Early on Saturday night, I and my out-to-eat buddies were seated at a table inside the empty Islander Club in Garapan. We had the whole place to ourselves because doors had not opened yet for the happy hour.

In came Rick Kealoha Pa, the man who makes Hawaiian-inspired food behind the Big Hawaiian Takeout kitchen.

He placed several Styrofoam boxes containing various menus on our table. But it’s not your ordinary take-out bento box where what you see is what you get.

We feasted on the delightful smells of the various selections set before us before I went for the box of soy sauce chicken which contained large pieces of chicken thighs browned in soy sauce, and the platter of dried fried beef sitting on a bed of fresh and crunchy lettuce, relishing its delightful flavors that went deep into the lean meat.

My buddies dug into the Pork Laulau — succulent strips of pork wrapped and steamed in taro leaves until the fat melts and the two ingredients merges into one bundle of delight for your tongue.

Other choices included the chicken luau which is chicken slices with taro and coconut milk, sweet and sour pork, and kalua pork.

Although he does not do the traditional process of preparing kalua pork — in which large hot rocks are placed inside each pig and slow-cooked in a deep pit for several hours over hot coals, banana leaves and covered with a wet burlap — Rick said  he devised a modern way of cooking which traps the moisture and the steaming pigs come out with a delicious browned outer skin.

Each takeout box comes with a serving of rice and macaroni salad.

Rick also served us three variations of freshly made Hawaiian style poki — octopus with sesame, tuna with caviar, and tuna with seaweed, and a fresh platter of octopus kelaguen.

If you think that take-out food is not as good as food served inside a restaurant, you will change your mind after you try the takeout orders from the Big Hawaiian Takeout.

Are you planning a backyard or a beach picnic or just want to eat a superb meal outside the confines of a regular restaurant? Whether you want to be with a few friends and family members, or with a thousand relatives, you can be spared from the rigors of cooking by calling Saipan’s Big Hawaiian Takeout in Garapan and you can go ahead and have food and fun.

Rick said  beginning this Thursday the Big Hawaiian Takeout menu will be available at the street market in Garapan.

“We will be joining the food vendors to reach out to a large number of locals and tourists who are yearning for authentic Hawaiian favorites,” Rick said.

All take-out menus, including the various poki recipes, can also be ordered as chasers and eaten inside Islander Club (formerly Shooter’s Bar) during happy hours from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

The Big Hawaiian Takeout is located at the back of Islander Club behind VFW and Gold Beach Hotel along Beach Road, Garapan. It is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. from Tuesday to Saturday, and from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursdays to Saturdays. Credit cards are not yet accepted. For orders or more information, call 989-2225.

(This article was first published HERE )

Zirberyan Rice

IT is not like any other restaurant on island. For one, it doesn’t look like a restaurant from the outside. Second, the taste of everything you eat or drink is unpredictable.

It was very late on Saturday night when I and my out to eat buddies at a dimly lit table at the Africa Fine Dining in Chalan Kiya but time was not a hindrance for us to sample  fine African fare, our first on island.

Salata

Minda, one of the wait staff, served us cold glasses of beverage. The taste was pleasant but unfamiliar. We learned later it was Africa’s house-brewed ginger drink.

Our five-course dinner started with soup. Unlike other soups that fill you up and make you lose your appetite, the

peanut soup smelled  of delicious herbs and ginger and made us very hungry for what’s next. The soup doubles your anticipation and clears the way for a full meal.

Our salata, or salads, came next: fresh vegetables immersed in herbal flavors. Minutes later, Rose Diaz, owner of Africa Fine Dining, set a platter of stuffed pastry called Samosa, which has ground

Samosa

beef and herbs. Diaz told us it is usually eaten in the Middle East during the Ramadan feast.

We bit into the crunchy crust which made a delicious contrast with the flavorful beef and herbs stuffing so that I finished one and a half of it in world record time.

For the next course, Diaz served a huge platter of Zirberyan Rice (also called Al-roaz al Zirberian) on a plate with banana leaves. Unlike the regular fried rice, Zirberian Rice is designed for the hungry — with huge chicken slices and raisins. Diaz told us it’s an Arabian main course. There was no way we could finish everything. The serving was enough for five persons.

Halfway into our Zirberian rice, Diaz came out carrying a mouth-watering dish called Kuku Paka, or coconut chicken of Africa. I speared a piece of chicken with my fork and gloried in the coconut-infused, herb-rich flavors.

Diaz served us sweet dates to cap the hearty dinner. Again, if you want to avail of the five-course dinner and other African specialties, you have to make reservations because they are not served on a daily basis.

Reservations can be made for two for a minimum of $50, or groups of four and up.

The first time we tried Africa Fine Dining was lunchtime last week where we tried the Congolese chicken with peanut and fried fish with eggplants.

We had lunch at the gazebo at the back of the restaurant amid a forest of flora and fauna so romantic that I wouldn’t have been surprised if musicians suddenly emerged to serenade us.

If you want to make somebody feel special, the gazebo is the right place for a special lunch or dinner but reservation is required.

Diaz said  the secret of their delicious dishes lies in the herbs used and the special way the  dishes were prepared. She said she did a lot of traveling which included studying the intricacies of African and Mediterranean cooking.

“You may have to drive all the way up here, but our menu will give you enough reason to come,” she said.

Try out the African dishes not available anywhere else on island such as Kima or chopped beef chili fry, Safari steak for the hunter, or grilled lamb with pili-pili sauce, the vast selection of main entrées such as Africa’s shrimp special, chicken cordon Bleu, Sherried liver with mushroom, liver with onion ring, and more, from $8 and up.

Check out the $8 ala carte menu from the assorted sea food dishes, chicken dishes and other favorites in the short orders menu from $3.75 to $7.50.

Africa Fine Dining serves $5 rice topping meals for students or those on a budget. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch, and from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. for dinner every day.

Africa Fine Dining is located a few yards before you reach Yco Hardware on Monsignor Guerrero Road just before you go up to Northern Marianas College if you are coming from San Jose. Africa Fine Dining accepts only cash for now. For reservations, call 234-3589.

This article was first published HERE

So finally I found the chance to check out Café & Bar Feel Saipan for a quick lunch with my out-to-eat buddies last week.

Without the luxury of time, I immediately settled for the $8 teriyaki chicken while my buddies went for the Café & Bar Feel Saipan signature bento and fried fish Chamorro style.

My teriyaki chicken was served with a flavor-rich sauce that made me want for more. My buddy’s bento box included a serving of rice, crisply fried, breaded shrimp, salad, soup and other side dishes.

Available for lunch and dinner are sashimi, pork or beef ginger, fried chicken, katsu- or chicken-don, hamburger steak, Angus beef steak, Yakiniku or short ribs, ramen, and yakisoba. Except for the beef steak which is priced at $16, all other dishes on the menu fall within the $6-$10 budget range.

All lunch and dinner orders come with a serving of rice, Miso soup and vegetable salad.

Café & Bar Feel Saipan has limited choices for lunch and dinner, but the place is perfect for a long, leisurely meal or a quick stopover, or to while away hours over cold bottles of beer, glasses of cocktail or other beverages.

Assorted appetizers such as vegetable stick, Caesar salad, Hawaiian Pokki, Chamorro style chips and dips, grilled Chamorro sausage, French fries and more range from $3 to $12.

You can also try any of the mouthwatering choices from the BBQ Loco Style which includes coleslaw Saipan style, chicken kelaguen, mushrooms with butter, pork chop with ginger sauce, Angus Beef with wasabi sauce, yakisoba or rice Bali, grilled vegetables, and the dessert of the day.

At Café & Bar Feel Saipan, you can choose to eat or drink in total comfort at the plush sofa sets at one corner of the restaurant, at the bar, or at the regular tables. If you want to really feel Saipan without the confines of walls, you can settle at any of the tables outside the front entrance, or at the balcony tables at the back.

Café & Bar Feel Saipan has a pleasant fusion of native and modern décor— with the digital frames and large TV monitors on the walls giving a cool contrast to the native placemats, lampshades, bar stools and other knick-knacks.

Café & Bar Feel Saipan opens for lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day. Happy hour is from  4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Monday to Saturday, but dinner is still served until 10 p.m.

This month, Café & Bar Feel Saipan is offering a special promo of $15 per person from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. which covers three drinks of beer or soft drinks, a plate of chicken kelaguen and salad.

They also offer a 90-minute open bar where for $18 per person, you can have your fill of beer, Shochu or soft drinks.

For more information, call 233-5233. (This article was first published HERE)

It was almost 2 p.m. and we knew from past experiences that time was running out. Most of the restaurants close at 2 or 2:30 p.m. for lunch.

From the outside, Moomin Mura Restaurant looks like a private place you would hesitate to come in but once you push open the wooden doors, you will be engulfed by the warmth and cozy ambiance of the place.

The cool exterior is a pleasant relief from the sweltering heat outside. We headed toward one of the wooden tables for four and an attentive food staffer immediately handed us menus.

I was hungry and did not take long to order Yakiniku beef bento box for $6. My buddies ordered Bibimbap mix vegetables, and beef soup with rice.

Our orders were served after a very short wait, with side dishes and hot soup.

Moomin Mura Restaurant has generous servings, more than enough if you are not that hungry but we cleaned our plates in world record time.

The $6 lunch sets include choices of  hot soup with tofu, fried pork & Kimchee bento box, Japanese pan cake with cabbage, Korean hot soup with rice, Ramen noodles in soup with rice, and yakisoba or fried n

Beef soup

oodles with rice.

Other lunch sets are pork ginger set, beef tongue set, hot pepper soup set, pork cutlet, ramen and assorted mix vegetables with rice, and fried chicken set.

They also serve various ramen dishes from $6 to $10.

Moomin Mura Restaurant serves a more extensive dinner menu which fuses Japanese and Korean cuisines.

Beef and pork Yakiniku dishes are available from $7 to $25. Okonomiyaki dishes or those savory pancakes with your choice of green onions, Kimchee, soba, or Udon from $8 to $15. They also serve yakisoba from $8 to $1

Bibimbap

2, Korean cold or spicy noodles, rice prepared in a variety of ways, teppan-Yaki, salads, side dishes and a special course for $22 per person which includes ass

orted appetizer, tofu nabe, Korean pancakes, Yakiniku, fresh Korean vegetables, green salad, bibimbap and soup, and ice cream for dessert.

Cap your lunch or dinner with any of the beverages, or spend leisurely hours to while the time away over bottles or cans of beer, sho-chu, sake, red or white wine, whiskey or soda.

Moomin Mura Restaurant can seat up to 80 individuals and has VIP sections for private groups. This is an ideal destination if the craving for Japanese or Korean cuisine hits you, at pocket-friendly prices, too.

The restaurant opens from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch, and from 5:30 to 9 p.m. for dinner every day. Major credit cards are accepted. For reservations or inquiries, call 233-5097. (This article was first published HERE)

Yakiniku beef bento box

Kadun Picca

WE always pass by this restaurant in Garapan across from Esther’s Fashion shop but its name held us back for so many times: Hot Curry Bar & Restaurant.

I and my out to eat buddies eat curry dishes from time to time but none of us were that crazy about curry. Curiosity whether everything the restaurant served was curry or not got the best of us when we passed by again on Saturday night.

Walking up to the menu stand beside the door, we were pleasantly surprised to find that curry dishes occupied only a portion of one page of the menu. All the rest were either Chinese or Chamorro dishes as well as other island favorites.

A cheerful staff member named Alice invited us in and recommended dishes we should try. She, however failed to entice us to try the restaurant’s curry dishes which she says is “Japanese curry.”

Through Alice, we learned that the marriage of the Chinese and Japanese owners brought together a mix of delectable dishes from both countries, and they added in more local dishes to suit the palates of not only tourists but locals, too.

fried local fish with finadene sauce

I settled for the Kadun Picca, or the Chamorro version of chicken adobo. It came with rice and a delicious soup. The first taste that registered when I bit into a tender slice of chicken in my Kadun Picca was ginger and pepper.

It left a hot but pleasant taste in the mouth. I asked for Tabasco for added spicy flavor and dug into my meal.

My buddies ordered the fried local fish with finadene sauce from the Chamorro dishes, and fried rice with mixed vegetables from the Chinese dishes.

Hot Curry Bar & Restaurant serves a selection of appetizers starting from $4, salads for $7, pasta dishes from $8.50 to $9.50, pizza from $8.50 to $10, steaks from $12 to $32, and side dishes.

For curry lovers, this is your destination. The curry dishes starts from $6.50 to $12, and you can have your choice of the standard curry, minced curry, croquette, fish, hot pepper, chicken, omelet with mushroom, vegetables, hamburger, fried prawns, seafood, fried pork, steak and kid’s curry.

The $30 Chamorro food course menu which is good for two or more persons includes beef kelaguen, kadun pica, pajitas, mackerel or tilapia and rice.

From 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., you can also try the BBQ Course for $40.

Order your favorite soups, noodles, fried rice and rice bowls and authentic Chinese dishes for dinner prepared by a Chinese chef.

Hot Curry Bar and Restaurant’s $6.50 lunch menu comes with free rice, soup and salad. Menu includes Yakiniku, fried chicken, teriyaki don, pork katsu don, beef curry soup, kimchi fried rice and more.

Divided into cubicles, the Hot Curry Bar & Restaurant provides a cozy ambiance and privacy where groups can freely chat and catch up with the latest events. The clear, glass doors provide an excellent view of cars and people passing by.

Tables sheltered under huge umbrellas are available if you prefer to eat lunch or dinner outside. It is one dining place where time stands still and you can spend longer time with a bottle of beer or your favorite after-dinner cocktail. Yeah, we’ll be back, and next time we will go for the curry dishes.

Hot Curry Bar and Restaurant accepts major credit cards. They are open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch and from 5:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. for dinner. For inquiries or reservations, please call 670-233-4965. (This article was first published HERE)

Neau Phad Nam Hoy (sautéed shredded beef with brocolli and oyster sauce)

We were heading to another restaurant for a late lunch on Saturday noon when we saw this new restaurant with glass windows and huge plant and flower pots outside the original Royal Crown Insurance building. Turning back, we went inside and discovered a few customers who were also having a late lunch.

We had just missed the daily lunch buffet but a pleasant food staff gave us colorful menus for the ala carte lunch.
Almost every dish in the Mai Thai, or “The Thai Silk” restaurant are prefixed or suffixed with the word “spicy” and we were anticipating the kick in the tongue it will bring.

The place, however, does not shut out people who can’t stand spicy flavors because Mai Thai restaurant believes that Thai dishes need not be predominantly h

ot, but it should reach a perfect harmony in aroma and taste.

For non-Thai diners, do not be confused with the long and strange names in capital letters in the menu because there are English translations right below.

Tom Yam Pla (spicy and sour fish soup)

My buddies ordered Neau Phad Nam Hoy, or sautéed shredded beef with brocolli  and oyster sauce for $6.95.

I went for the Tom Yam Pla, which is spicy and sour fish soup for $6.95. Add another dollar and you will get a serving of rice.

The slices of Wahoo fish in my Tom Yam Pla swam in a bowl of hot soup with tomatoes, mushrooms, and topped with onion leaves, mint, and sliced red hot peppers.

Expecting the spiciest soup, I asked for more water in preparation to wash it up but I was pleasantly surprised that it was not THAT spicy and there was no need for extra handkerchiefs to wipe away your tears, just enough for you to “whistle” softly.

Mai Thai Spicy Restaurant opened about four months ago. Traditional Thai décor adorn the walls and windows, and albeit small, it offers diner a cozy ambiance.

Appetizers start from $5 to $7.95. Try the Saku Sai Moo, or pork in crystal balls served with coriander, lettuce and chili, or the Tod Mun Pla which is deep fried fish cakes served with cucumber in spicy sweet and sour sauce and more appetizers. Soups are $6.95 and you can have your choice of spicy and sour prawn, fish, or squid soup, or assorted seafood soup. You can also try their spicy chicken soup with coconut milk, or spicy and sour vegetable soup with fish.

Mai Thai’s selection of salads include spicy squid, beef, bean-vermicelli, prawns, assorted seafood, beef seasoned with Thai herbs of papaya.

Move on to the Thai Mai’s main entrées which starts from $6.95 and up. The main entrées include spicy fish, pork, crab, vegetables, chicken, or beef dishes cooked in tempting variations.

Mai Thai Spicy Restaurant also serves several choices of noodles in Thai style from $6.95 to $7.95, fried rice dishes with various toppings still at $6.95, and deserts. Phollamai Loy Kaew, or tropical fruit in jasmine syrup combined with crush ice, costs $2, while Phollamai ruam, or assorted fruits, is available for $7.

Mai Thai Spicy Restaurant prides itself in preparing cuisine from recipes handed down for decades but adjusted to suit today’s tastes and served in an authentic manner.

Give in to your craving for the aroma and flavors of a true Thai cuisine, try Mai Thai Spicy Restaurant in San Antonio across from Sunleader store.

Mai Thai offers lunch buffet for $7.99 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day. Dinner is from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Mai Thai does not accept credit cards yet. For reservations, call 235-3173. (This article was first published HERE.)

Hiro Island Japanese Cuisine opened on April 18, and has slowly become a hangout for many who are in search of delicious Japanese cuisine in a relaxed setting.

The charming restaurant with a red Japanese lantern outside occupies a portion of the ground floor of Victoria Hotel.

The front area has tables with comfortable chairs and a huge LCD television mounted on the wall. The daily specials are pinned on a cork board near the door. Inside the restaurant are two long rows of low tables for typical Japanese dining.

Not so hungry, I ordered the Yellow Fin Croquetto for $8. The two crispy fried croquettes, splattered with sauce on top came with a serving of vegetable salad and tomato slices. The croquettes were crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, giving you the full flavor of the yellow fin slices mixed with mashed potatoes.

sashimi platter

My buddies ordered a platter of assorted sashimi, one of the restaurant’s specialties and bestsellers, and deep-fried mahi-mahi served with soup, rice and salad.

Hiro Restaurant’s soup is one of its must-taste items. It is not your ordinary soup served in restaurants everywhere but it has its own distinctive flavor.

“We don’t buy ready mix ingredients for soup but we make our own, and that’s what makes the difference,” said Eden, a member of the food staff.

Hiro Island Japanese cuisine’s specialty is assorted sashimi and sushi featuring the freshest catch of the day.

Yellow Fin Croquetto

Reading about the 50 dishes on the menu is enough to make you hungry. Original chasers from $5 and up include cold tofu “Hiro style,, pickled Chinese cabbage Japanese style, papaya and pork sukiyaki. Salads and appetizers start from $5 to $8.

A wide selection of rice and noodle dishes is available starting from $8 to $12. Choices include Hiro’s original curry — beef, chicken, or pork cutlet, hashed beef rice, or pork katsudon with salt onion flavor.

You can try the egg and Angus Beef fried rice-onion soy sauce flavor, or hot noodle soup with fried pork. You can also go for the hot or cold Japanese style noodle soup, Udon, soba or somen, or the squid pasta garlic butter flavor.

Cap your meal with any of the desserts Hiro Restaurant offers such as assorted fruit, sautéed banana with sweet potato ice or vanilla ice, banana cake with sweet potato and apigigi with sweet potato or vanilla ice, all from $6 to $10.

If you are not hungry, you can pass the time or bond with friends and colleagues with cold glasses or bottles of beer, Shochu Rock, red or white wine, Japanese Sake, cocktails or sodas and juices, all at affordable prices.

Hiro Island Japanese Cuisine does not accept credit cards for now.

Visit Hiro Island Japanese Cuisine on the ground floor of Victoria Hotel from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch, and from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. for dinner every day. (This article was first published HERE)

food fried yaki soba

WHEN you start looking for a place to eat at past 11 p.m. on Saipan, your chances of getting a good meal is getting slim. After going around Garapan a couple of time in vain, we remembered this Japanese restaurant we had been eyeing for some time — the Umibouzu Japanese Restaurant on the second floor of Seven Stars store at the Paseo de Marianas across from the police station.

Umibouzu is your typical Japanese restaurant, with cushions on the seats and colorful Japanese lanterns hanging from the ceilings.

The half-drawn blinds gave us a superb view of the well-lighted Paseo de Marianas, although most of the businesses have closed for the day and only a few people were milling around.

My buddies ordered the $7 fried chicken with salad plus $2 for a serving of rice and miso soup, and sea food fried yaki soba which you can order in regular size for $9, or go large for $12.

I ordered spicy tuna with mayonnaise on rice for $10. Tea was served in tall glasses with ice cubes.

My buddy’s fried chicken was perfect — bite-sized crispy fried slices dipped in spicy sauce. Not a huge fan of noodles myself, I found the seafood fried yaki soba an exemption, the crispy fried noodles a tasty contrast to the seafood.

spicy tuna with mayonnaise

The main entrées for dinner range from $7 to $23 and includes beef steak, broiled prawn, tempura, seafood fry, fried shrimp or fish, short ribs, pork cutlet, chicken teriyaki, pork ginger, chopped vegetable sauté, pork cutlet curry, fried rice with kimuchi, and rice ball with sashimi.

You can also go for the don buri choices which include shrimp tempura on rice, beef steak, yakiniku, pork cutlet, or chicken with egg on rice.

Noodles available are ramen and fried rice, miso ramen, been sprout ramen, soy sauce ramen and cold ramen. You can also enjoy California roll and spicy tuna roll from $8 to $10.

If you feel the need to smoke, Umibouzu’s balcony is the place to go to.

By the way, if you plan to eat at Umibouzu, try to memorize the Japanese symbols for male and female. You’ll need it when you have to use the restroom. I can just imagine the disappointment in the face of my basic Japanese language teacher if he saw me standing outside the two open doors trying to decide which is for the females. I made a wild guess and has not discovered if I was right or wrong until now…

Umibouzu Japanese Restaurant is open for dinner only from 6 p.m. until midnight. All major credit cards are accepted. For more information call 234-5529. (This article was first published HERE)

Not exactly a dessert lover myself, I expected McDonald’s new Brownie Melt to be just another variation of other desserts and was not too excited to try it since it was introduced to Saipan a couple of weeks ago. That is, until last Thursday morning.

The Brownie Melt comes in the same attractive packaging with a transparent window as the Cinnamon Melt. It bears the label “Delicious Defined with a warm chocolate center and sweet drizzle of chocolatey icing.”

It does not follow the usual rectangular and heavier look of most brownies. It is a delicious mix of smaller chunks of soft, moist brownies stacked together, covered with melted chocolate with white icing splattered on top.

Take a bite of the Brownie Melt and let the rich and creamy chocolate fudge linger in your mouth. It is not as sweet as I have predicted but I found that true to its wrapper label, the Brownie Melt is McDonald’s best synonym for “yummy.”

It is one dessert at McDonald’s that you won’t regret ordering, and only for $2. Brownie Melt is available at McDonald’s Saipan’s Middle Road branch. For inquiries, call 235-8577.

(This article was first published HERE)

Snicker ‘N Tuna Bar & Grill used to be the former Len’s Tavern until new owners took over less than a year ago.
The second floor offers a luxurious dining area where you get to enjoy the breeze from the sea and view cars passing by on the road.

The menu, although not extensive, has mouth- watering recipes of locally caught fish.

My out-to-eat buddies ordered fish kelaguen tuna nuggets served with a small dish of sweet and spicy sauce. The fish kelaguen was excellent, the taste of fresh tuna lingering in your mouth urging you to get more.

I ordered the breaded Marlin with a serving of rice but you have the option to get fries and vegetable garnish in lieu of rice. My order came with mayonnaise dip with bits of spices.

The deep fried tuna nuggets are crispy on the outside, creating a delightful contrast with the soft tuna bits when you bite into them.

For appetizers, try the tuna lumpia, tuna croquette, garlic stuffed chicken wings, hot chicken wings, spring rolls, poki and onion rings, all from $2 to $7.

Snicker N’ Tuna Bar & Grill also serves Thai dishes including Pad Thai (choice of chicken, pork or shrimp) at $8, Thai noodle soup, Nam Tok or Pork Salad, and Tom Yum, a must-try sweet and sour lemon grass soup with mushroom, galangal, chili, kaffir lime leaves and coriander. Thai dishes are from $6.50 to $8.

Seafood dishes priced from $5 to $6.50 include fish and chips, fish burger with rice or French fries, fish sandwich and fish taco with all the trimmings.

The Snicker ‘N Tuna Bar & Grill’s ground floor is a sports bar/game room with dart boards, pool tables and gaming machines. If you’re not up to playing, you can relax at the comfortable bar and drink regular or imported beers, whisky, tropical drinks, wines (by the glass) or sodas and juices.

The Snicker ‘N Tuna Bar & Grill is one of the places where the Saipan Electronic Darts Association meets.

Snicker ‘N Tuna Bar & Grill’s special feature is the Fish Fry and Pot Luck buffet on Friday nights, starting from 5 p.m.

fish kelaguen

Restaurant manager Jimmy Hopkins said Snicker ‘N Tuna is where the best fish recipes in the island are showcased.

Saturdays and Sundays are happy hours from opening until closing time at the Snicker ‘N Tuna Bar & Grill.

The open dining area on the second floor opens at 11:30 a.m. for lunch while the sports bar opens at 4:30 p.m. For reservations or inquiries, call Snicker ‘N Tuna Bar & Grill at 233-2868.

(This article was first published HERE)

Spicy Chicken

I grabbed a menu on the way to a table and stared at it blankly. Aside from the price and a few words translated in English, it was in Korean and I couldn’t read it. The friendly waitress tried her best to explain what was on the menu, but we only got to understand each other when she showed us pictures of the food.
The orders of my out-to-eat buddies arrived first — bibimbap and a huge bowl of hot soba.
When I ordered the $9 spicy chicken from the menu, I was expecting a serving of the regular spicy chicken similar to what I have tried from other restaurants on island. I was in for a hot surprise.
My order came a few minutes later — a platter filled with a delightful mix of small chicken slices, cabbage strips and bits of red and green pepper. It was bathed in a reddish sauce, which I learned later was hot pepper from Tinian.

Bibimbap

When dining at this place, called I.M.F. Restaurant in Chalan Piao, do not doubt their word regarding their spicy dishes because they really are THAT spicy. It was the first time I ate something that had me fanning my mouth. It felt as though my lips were swollen, my teeth and gums were throbbing, my tongue and throat burned and I expected fire to come out of my mouth.
My buddies tried my spicy chicken and very soon, they too, were whistling. It sure was hot but still, we could not help but consume everything and we used all the tissue paper on the table to wipe our tears.
If you cannot

Hot soba

tolerate spicy foods, this restaurant is not for you because you will cry, but if you love spicy food, bring an extra hankie. The I.M.F. Restaurant offers a spacious and comfortable ambiance, its dim lights and colorful dividers providing privacy if you need it. The place is great for a leisurely lunch or dinner or even a very early breakfast.
You can try the restaurant’s house noodles for $6, Korean chop steak beef or pork for $9, or different soups starting from $6. The wide selection of choices include fish and seafood dishes, beef and pork, chicken, dumplings, and more.

IMF Restaurant Fresh Sashimi House in Chalan Piao, Saipan.

I.M.F. Restaurant, located at the Silver Hotel building, is open from 10 a.m. until 5 a.m. For more information, call 234-8787.

Article is originally published HERE

yellow fin fillet

I always thought that the place, an old building with a mix of adobe bricks and bamboo décor and a few tables and chairs outside, is a bar where customers are more interested in playing billiards and drinking beer than eating. I was wrong.

Sure, Round Two Sport Bar & Grill has billiard tables, dart boards, computer games, and huge TV screens dominating the walls and where you may feel like ducking every time a basketball player throws a ball, but they sure serve sumptuous dishes.
It was hard to choose from the two-page laminated menu as everything sounded delicious but my buddies finally settled for awhich is an 8-ounce seasoned beef with grilled onion, gravy and mushrooms for $8.75, and stir fried garlic shrimp for $9.
I made the right choice with the yellow fin fillet. It was perfect — charbroiled and dripping with its natural sauce. It came with toasted bread, a serving of buttered corn, and mashed potatoes with gravy poured over it.
We were not that hungry but we made short work of our dinner, cleaning up our plates pretty fast and not leaving anything edible.
I haven’t had the chance to ask how the bar got its name but for me, it would not definitely apply to the food servings. Round one already left me very full.
Round Two Sport Bar & Grill’s menu boasts of having the best charbroiled burgers on Saipan, although I still have to make another trip to try it. Burgers are from $7 to $9.50.
Try the ¼ pounder or giant ½ pounder charbroiled steer burger, cheese burger, bacon and cheese burger, egg burger, monster burger which is ½ pounder steer burger with bacon, egg and cheese, chicken burger, fish burger and fish burger with cheese.

Medium rare Salisbury steak

Other must-try platters are the $14 New York Angus half pounder charbroiled steak, fried chicken, breaded and deep fried mahi-mahi with tartar sauce, deep fried shrimp, and shrimp sinigang. Price ranges from $8.50 to $14 for a tummy-filling platter. Each order comes with vegetables and a toasted roll, your choice of fries, steamed rice or mashed potatoes. Add $1.75 and you can have baked potatoes with butter and sour cream.
And don’t forget the ever-popular pizza — topped with sausage, pepperoni, cheese, black olives, mushrooms and bell peppers and onions on top. You can order deluxe or premium pizzas in small, medium or large sizes. Sandwiches are also available from $6 to $7 — grilled ham & cheese, tuna sandwich and B.L.T. or bacon, lettuce & tomatoes with fries.
Chasers range from $4.25 to $11 and include super nachos, fries, lumpia, barbeque and more. Freshly cut Yellow fin sashimi is also available, as well as fish & chips, soup and salads.
Round Two Sport Bar & Grill opens at 10:30 a.m. until 12 midnight, or even beyond when the need arises. It is a perfect place to hang out, drink, eat, play, unwind or just catch up with the latest events with friends.
For reservations/inquiries, visit Round Two Bar & Grill in Garapan or call 234-6930 or 233-5706.

Article originally published HERE

local fish steak set

THREE sets of the day’s lunch specials were laid on our table just a few minutes after we placed our orders and we couldn’t wait to dig into our plates: Fried mixed seafood set, rice-topped fried seafood with sticky sauce for my buddies and local fish steak set for me.

We settled into one of the booths with white billowing tapestries which provided privacy and separated us from the other diners.
As soon as we sat down, steaming bowls of delicious soups and vegetables were set before us. We were expecting that lunch is still a long way away but we were wrong.

My fish steak, grilled mahi-mahi slices topped with onion rings and bathed in a special sauce with a somewhat spicy tang came with a serving of rice, coleslaw, baked potato slices and a serving of carrots, peas and corn.

Rice-topped fried seafood with sticky sauce

I was not so hungry but the lunch set was delectable and appetizing that I cleaned up every morsel of my lunch, a very rare thing indeed.  The two-page menu spares you from spending a long time trying to make decisions. The list may not be endless but it is quality, not quantity that counts.

The lunch set includes hamburger steak set, chicken teriyaki set, pork ginger set, fried pork and kimchi set, all at $7.50. Pasta sets

are $7 and you can choose from Cod Roe Spaghetti, Salmon and Mushroom Peperontino, Spaghetti Naporitana and Cold Spaghetti Tomato and basil sauce.

The rice food sets, also at $7, include curry rice, hashed beef rice, seafood pilaf, Omelet fried rice and seafood rice gratin. The rice sets came complete with side dishes and in generous proportions more than enough to fill a hungry stomach.
Choose from the noodles selections priced at $6.50 which includes cold Chinese noodles, fried noodles or Yakisoba, and cold wheat no

odles.
A choice of bottomless iced tea or iced coffee is included in the meal sets.
For drinks, I went for the bottomless   iced coffee with cubes of ice floating in the tall glass. I forgot it was iced coffee since the  two looked almost the same but reality sank in when I took a long sip from the straw. The iced coffee is somewhat strong but you can add a generous splash of cream that co

mes with it.
It was our first time to try Aglaia Island Dining and Bar and it was worth it. The Garapan restaurant décor is altogether pleasant — no specific theme but the muted lighting, the mirrors on the wall, the spaciousness, the food, the ambiance, the excellent service and the soothing music playing in the background joined forces to provide any diner with the ultimate dining experience at very affordable prices.
Aglaia’s Dining and Bar is open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and from 6 p.m to 10 p.m.  Major credit cards are accepted. For more information, call 233-6086 or visit aglaia-saipan.com.

This article was first published HERE

Fried rice Yangzhou style

THE bright glass windows and the huge lighted sign which says “Native Restaurant” lured me and my buddies to its doors one night last week as we were scouting for a place to grab a late dinner.

Squeezed between a store, a poker game house and bars in Garapan, we thought it was just any run-of-the-mill fast food establishments where you can stop for a cup of coffee or order a burger but we were wrong.
The place is small, with only bar stools and no formal tables but it’s one of those establishments where you feel at home right away. The huge flat screen showing a Chinese love story mounted on the wall, the muted lights and the tastefully chosen wall décor added to the comfortable ambiance.
A smiling Chinese handed us menus displaying over 70 dishes to choose from.
A lot of the items on the menu are not the ordinary items you see in most of the restaurants in the island. Native Restaurant is for those diners who have no qualms to eat what others would classify to be on the exotic side such as stewed pigeon, pork tripe with pickle, fried pork intestines, cured fish with cow heels or stewed chicken feet.

We ordered a serving of fried rice Yangzhou style and fried rice with shrimp. They were served on a huge platter, with a generous mix of mushroom, onions, shrimps, carrots, bits of ham and green peas.  I had a hard time finishing half of my share. Not bad for $4. My buddies ordered stewed chick claws or chicken feet for $5, and simmering beef noodles for $5. The chicken feet were tender and the beef noodle soup was just heavenly.

Although the waitress speaks limited English, we were able to communicate with her to ask for water, hot sauce, lemons, more water, extra bowls,  more wate and finally our bill. A receipt issued in Chinese was given to us after dinner — $23 only for four satisfied individuals.
Prices at the Native Restaurant are very affordable. Try out their set of 25 pieces of white soft delicious dumplings that are either steamed, fried or boiled with a variety of flavors such as celery with pork, celery for $6. Or the special snacks such as noodles with sesame butter, seafood or beef noodle soup for $2 to $5 per serving.
Soups vary from fresh duck soup, chicken soup, and pigeon soup. You can also pick out from the cold dish section such as stewed chick claw, pig’s ear or tongue, duck’s web, beef tendon or stomach, spiced pork intestines, mixed cold jellyfish, golden mushroom with vegetables, gizzards with soy sauce, beef seasoned with soy sauce, cucumber in sauce, all from $5 to $6.

Our receipt in Chinese

The chicken combo meal is another option, served with rice, soup and vegetables for $8.80. You can choose how you want your chicken done — boiled with salt, diced with chili sauce, fried with betel nut or just fried chicken. The shrimp combo is available for $9.80. Have your way with shrimp — spicy, scalded, fried with salt and pepper or sweet and sour. Fish combo costs $11.80 and you can have the fish steamed, with black bean sauce, braised or sweet and sour. You can also choose the beef combo meals.
If you are craving for chicken, Native Restaurant allows you to choose from sliced cold chicken, fried chicken wing/drumstick, deep fried chicken with chill pepper or stewed chicken with mushrooms.
Vegetarians are not left out because they can choose the sauté vegetable and braised tofu, or braised eggplant.
Be daring and try the hot pot items such as the braised fish with cow heels, stewed pigeon, congee with preserved egg or with pork and vegetables, or stick to the familiar like fried rice noodles with beef, spicy hot noodles with beef or fried rice with beef or with shrimp.
Native Restaurant is located beside QQ Store and near The Old “B” Bank and Kimchi Cabana in Garapan.

This article was first published HERE

Pah Peah Todd, or Spring Rolls

HOT and spicy with a dash of sweet taste are the dominant flavors in the two dishes that we tried at the Thai House in Garapan on Saturday evening. Not so hungry, we decided to check out the place and ordered a couple of dishes.

Our order of Pah Peah Todd was actually a plate of petite spring rolls stuffed with fresh, finely chopped Julienne mushrooms, carrots, cabbage, bean sprouts, ground beef and glass noodles wrapped in crispy rice paper was  heavenly. It comes with Thai dipping sauce which leaves a lingering sweet yet spicy taste in your mouth.  I ordered the whole island fish with garlic sauce

whole island fish with garlic sauce

for $12.95. A few minutes later, Joy, the friendly food staff laid a huge, deep-fried tilapia fish sprinkled with rice wine on a platter with a small dish of sauce.

You can fry fish at home anytime but again, the sauce made a hit. Cloves of garlic, red and green bell peppers, green onions and coriander leaves swimming in fish sauce spelled all the difference.
I poured the sauce all over the fish and before long, only the fish bones remained on the plate to contest our earlier claim that “we were not hungry.”
Thai House is the quaint restaurant along the road in Garapan whose facade twinkles with multi-colored lights at night, but when you step inside, you will be transported to another place. Paintings and portraits depicting sites, symbols and personalities in Thailand adorn the place. Huge tapestries designed with elephants hang from the red-painted walls.
What caught my eyes upon entering the restaurant are the fishing nets hanging from the ceiling which contains several currencies in bills.
The appetizer list includes Taud Man Pla or fish cakes, Nuea Dad Deow which is a lightly-seasoned Thai style, crisp-fried beef stripes, and Nura Nam Tak which is Thai marinated roast beef sliced into strips and mixed with green onions, cilantro, mint, ground roasted rice and chili pepper with freshly sliced vegetables.
The salad list includes Yahm Woonsen which is pork, shrimp or squid seasoned with glass noodles and a blend of tomatoes, onions, and fresh lemon juice; Thai Yahm which is shrimp, squid or beef sautéed in secret Thai seasonings and is one of Thailand’s most popular recipes, Thai Laab, Som Tom Thai and Phad Pug Toa Hoo or tofu which is a vegetarian delight.  Salads start at $8.95.
Work your appetite to the spicy soups, or choose from any of the spicy curry dishes of chicken, pork, beef or shrimp from $8.95 and up. Leave room for a choice of spicy beef, chicken or pork dishes, seafood and noodles.
You can also go for the Thai Khao Phad or fried rice and with everything on it — your choice of beef, chicken, pork or shrimp, and combined with Thai-style scrambled egg, chopped tomato, green onion, fish sauce and minced garlic, coriander leaf garnish and Thai chili pepper. The Khao Phad chicken costs $8.95 while pork, beef, shrimp and crab is $9.95.

When you’re dining at the Thai House, it would be wise to pay attention to the restaurant’s “star system,” especially if you haven’t tried Thai cooking before. Food items in the menu with single stars mean it is mildly spicy. Two stars means the food is hot, and three stars mean Thai Hot, which should not be underestimated if your tolerance for spicy foods is not high. Otherwise, prepare a perfect alibi why you are crying in front of a sumptuous dinner.
If you cannot take in spicy foods, you can ask the food staff and they will make the adjustments for you.
During the weekends, it’s  a la carte but if you want to go all out and eat all you can with bottomless ice tea, go to the Thai House for lunch or dinner Mondays to Fridays for only $9.95.
Thai House Restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch, and from 5:30 to 9 p.m. for dinner every day. For reservations/inquiries call 235-THAI (8424).

This article was first published HERE

Less than a month after it introduced the Chicken Kelaguen, Kentucky Fried Chicken is at it again — coming up with the latest addition to its line of delicious, lip-smacking menus that will have you licking your fingers long after the last morsel is gone and what’s left on your tray are just the remnants.

KFC brings the Chalakilis to Saipan, a genuine island recipe which is a regular family everyday meal on Guam.
A semi-thick rice porridge with just the right consistency and mixed with a generous amount of diced chicken, onions, garlic and other spices, the Chalakilis stands as a meal by itself, or eaten with a combination of other KFC meals.
“If you can’t have enough of a bowl of Chalakilis, go for the KFC combo,” KFC/Taco Bell manager Yole Panganiban said.
A Chalakilis combo consists of a bowl of hot Chalakilis, one piece crunchy chicken, any side order of coleslaw, macaroni salad and other choices, and a medium-sized drink.
“The Chalakilis is one of the genuine island flavors close to the heart of the community,” Panganiban said.
Start your day right with a bowl of Chalakilis. It is suitable on a cold day or just any ordinary day. Chalakilis and the KFC Chicken Kelaguen Platter/Chicken Kelaguen Tortillas are available at the KFC Chalan Kanoa starting today and everyday from 8:00 AM 10:00 PM.

KFC @ am

Kentucky Fried Chicken’s breakfast fried rice meals are getting more popular and has become the favorite of diners.
“We urge you all to join us for breakfast from 8 to 11 every morning,” Panganiban said.
Breakfast choices includes two pieces crispy chicken strips, four pieces chicken nuggets, three pieces hot wings or with one piece chicken — served with island fried rice and one free drink.
KFC, located at the Town House Shopping Center in Chalan Kanoa is open from 8 a.m. to 10 pm everyday. For inquiries, call 234-6523.

(first published HERE)

Ca Chien Chanh (Vietnam fried fish with lime juice and chili paste)

Exactly 12 minutes after I placed my order, a pleasant Vietnamese food staff placed a platter of crisply fried fish topped with chopped peanuts, garlic and onions before me on Friday evening.

I ordered item #53 on the menu of Saipan Vietnamese Restaurant when we decided to check out the place where the former Saigon Restaurant used to be in Garapan.
The Ca Chien Chanh which was actually Viet fried fish with lime juice and chili paste was crunchy and simply delicious. The flavors of lime juice penetrated into the fish, making every bite yummy albeit I had to ask for soy sauce and more pepper to satisfy my taste.
My companions ordered Cha Ram or fried shrimp rolls which could also be ordered fresh, Com Tam Suon Nuong, which is grilled rib pork on rice served with fresh greens and sauce, and Com Ga Muc Sa Ot, which is chicken with hot pepper and lemon grass on rice, but the three of them dug into my Ca Chien Chanh, which we instantly voted as our favorite.

Saipan Vietnamese Restaurant’s prices are affordable. Appetizers start at $4.99 and up and include Vietnamese spring rolls, charcoal grilled beef sticks in sesame, BBQ chicken sticks with mints, cucumber and green leaves and more.
Pho, or rice noodle soup comes in several choices. You can have it with a combination of beef, chicken or fish balls, shredded chicken, seafood, fresh shrimp or grilled pork. If you want something on the crunchy side, then go for fried noodles with your choice of toppings such as seafood, beef, assorted vegetables, shrimp, or shredded pork. Cold noodles are also available in the menu with a long list of choices for a hungry diner.
Saipan Vietnamese Restaurant’s main dishes are focused on a wide selection of shrimp, fish, squid, seafood as well as beef and chicken dishes cooked Vietnamese style.
Com Chien, or fried rice sets in generous servings are available from $6.50 and up.
The restaurant’s limited space but convenient location offers an ideal place to drop by for a leisurely lunch, dinner and late evening meals. They are open from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. For inquiries, call 233-5858 or visit the restaurant across from Hyatt Regency Saipan.

This article was first published HERE

We checked out the newly-opened Grillin’ Salads & Steaks located at the ground floor of Saipan Ocean View Hotel past lunchtime on Saturday noon. We wasted no time in delving into the menu and I ordered the Short Ribs for $8.95, one of the restaurant’s grilled specials. My companions went for the fried chicken classic and several trips to the unlimited salad bar where fresh greens abound.

Our order came within a few minutes and we attacked our plates with gusto.

Grillin’s specialties range from $7.95 and up. The menu includes Gus’ Fave (Pusit A La Pobre), sizzling squid marinated with Grillin’s special sauce and topped with lots of garlic.

The Catch of the day is fresh fish grilled to perfection with your choice of lemon and butter sauce or finadeni (soy sauce with onions, lemon and hot pepper). You could go for the chicken inasal, Prawns A-La-Pobre, Pork Chops in a special marinade grilled to thrill your taste buds, Crispy pata, fried chicken classic, pan-fried breaded seafood combo of shrimp, squid and mussels or fish, chicken teriyake or hamburger steak, or go for the ultimate with the Certified Angus Grilled Rib Eye steak or sirloin steak

Salad Bar at Grillin'

Start lunch or dinner with a choice from the selection of soups like cream of vegetable, chicken soup and chef’s special, for $3.95, or go for the all-you-can-eat salad bar for $7.95. When you order one main entrée, you can avail of the salad bar for $4.99.

All items from the grill are served with seasonal vegetables and your choice of steamed rice, baked potatoes, french fries, mancho potato, macaroni salad, corn on the cob and salad greens.

Not that  hungry? Try Grillin’s pasta,  sandwiches, or hamburger specials for $6.95.

Grillin' Salads & Steaks at the Saipan Ocean View Hotel in Garapan

Grillin’ presents a comfortable ambiance for diners. For groups who want to hold breakfast, lunch or dinner conferences, Grillin’ has two VIP rooms which can accommodate up to 30 persons.

Grillin’ is open for breakfast from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m., lunch from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner from 6 to 9 p.m. For reservations, call 233-0808.

KFC chicken kelaguen platter

ITS finally here — Kentucky Fried Chicken’s latest offering which is seen to set tongues wagging – literally. Starting Dec. 18, the KFC outlet in Chalan Kanoa opens its doors to serve the newest items, the KFC chicken kelaguen served in two mouth-watering variations.

The KFC Chicken Kelaguen platter is served with several pieces of bite-size slices of flat bread. The other variation is chicken kelaguen stuffed in three tortillas and served with a medium-sized drink.

KFC chicken kelaguen tortillas

KFC/Taco Bell manager Yole Panganiban said that the Chicken Kelaguen platter and tortillas had been available in the Guam outlets for some time.

“We are inviting everybody to try our special chicken kelaguen. What’s special about this is we incorporated local ingredients like the Tinian hot pepper and lime,” Panganiban said.

The triangular flat slices of bread is the perfect pair for the chicken kelaguen which is finely diced and “seriously spicy”, but not that spicy it leaves a pleasant taste in your mouth that makes you crave for more.

The chicken kelaguen is one of the island’s favorite dishes, where chicken is diced and grilled till cooked but still juicy and combined with other ingredients including coconut, but Panganiban said the KFC chicken kelaguen does not contain coconut.

KFC@ a.m.

KFC breakfasts are still available from 8 to 11 a.m. daily. Choose from four variations — two pieces crispy chicken strips, four pieces chicken nuggets, three pieces hot wings or with one piece chicken. All breakfast orders come with a serving of island fried rice and one free drink, only for $6.49.

Also in the KFC menu is the new Volcano Nachos, Fully Loaded nachos and 1/2  pounders Nacho Crunch. Enjoy the variations of nacho crunch burrito, new cheesy potato burrito and combo burrito.

“We will continue to come up with more and more items in our menu to satisfy our customers,” Panganiban said.

KFC, located at the Town House, Chalan Kanoa is open from 8 a.m. to 10 pm everyday. For inquiries, please call (670) 234-6523.

Tasty and healthy –two apt descriptions that Kinpachi Restaurant maintains for the food they had been serving to more than half a million customers for almost three decades.

Despite being squeezed amid rows of restaurants, bars and food outlets in the heart of Garapan, Kinpachi Restaurant does not lack for customers with their Japanese cuisine specialties that had been gaining popularity through the years.

With over a hundred items on its menu customized to suit the varying tastes of individuals, Kinpachi has one focus — that is to serve tasty, satisfying and healthy Japanese dishes to their customers.

The menu contains regular Japanese favorites, Japanese drinks and beverages, and Health Alert food items. Even vegetarians are not left out because the restaurant meets their needs.

Famous favorites at Kinpachi among tourists and locals alike includes the Sushi set, a mouth-watering array of assorted shrimp, octopus, tuna or yellow fin on sushi rice and tekkamaki. This is served with vinegar     and marinated vegetables, miso soup and pickles, all for $19.

The Broiled Japanese Fish, ($11) allows you to savor your choice of grilled sanma, saba or salmon fish served with rice, vinegar marinated vegetables, pickles and miso soup.

Kinpachi’s signature tempura set is a must-try item that comes with crisp and crunchy prawn, shrimp, fish and vegetables, with your choice of sashimi or broiled fish, priced at $23. This is one menu that you can’t keep your hands off as soon as it’s set on your table.

katsu curry

Bite into crunchy slices of boned deep-fried chicken. The set comes with rice, miso soup and pickles for $7.50.

The Katsu curry, or rice on curry sauce toppings with breaded pork comes with a serving of salad. This has become a favorite among locals and can be had for $8.50.

A huge bowl of Miso Ramen with pork and bean sprout is another favorite, a generous serving at $9 to warm your stomach on a cold day or night.

Miso Ramen

“Customers come and go, but we give them a reason to come back not only for our tasty dishes but for excellent customer service, too,” Kinpachi Restaurant and Paseo De Marianas Promoters general manager Misako Kamata said.

Kinpachi  tempura set

fried chicken slices

Check out Kinpachi’s menu and get your fill of Japanese cuisine. You’ll be craving for more. Kinpachi Restaurant is located across from the Hyatt Regency Saipan and Fiesta Resort & Spa. They are open from 7 a.m. until 2 a.m. For reservations/inquiries please call 670-234-6900.

(This article was first published HERE)