Seafood nights at Saipan World Resort

ARE you craving for a real seafood feast? Here is a new destination on Friday nights — the Buffet World of Saipan World Resort in Susupe.

Newly refurbished, the Buffet World offers a great selection of the freshest seafood on top of its barbeque, dessert and sushi stations.

A long line of diners was already waiting outside before  the Buffet World opened its doors on Friday night. The tables and the buffet lines filled up fast. I proceeded to the far end of the room where the sushi bar was. Sushi chef Joey Estuesta was busy arranging different kinds of sushi and they were “disappearing” faster than he could  prepare new ones.

There were also trays of steamed green mussels, steamed blue crabs, shrimp as well as fresh sashimi slices neatly arranged on boat-shaped platters.

The barbecue and dessert stations were also irresistible to diners.

Saipan World Resort sales and marketing department/local sales manager Michael Babauta said seafood night Friday  was their response to the strong demand for seafood from tourists and locals.

“Our executive chef and his team came up with a menu that will surely make you taste buds jump and sing,” Babauta said, adding that they also revamped the buffet line.

“Our executive chef wanted it to have a greater impact so we  now have better lighting, better fixtures and a better buffet line,” he said.

You have to check it out.

“We are inviting the community to a unique dining experience — mouthwatering seafood and succulent specials,” Babauta said.

The price is $27 for adults and half price for children, inclusive of unlimited drinks.

Seafood night starts at 6 p.m. every Friday. The restaurant is also open for breakfast at 7 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. Major credit cards are accepted. For reservations, call 234-5900 extension 388 or 377.

First published at the Marianas Variety

Sizzling tuna steak at Jonny’s

THE search for a place to eat dinner on Saturday night ended at one of the most unlikely establishments — Jonny’s Bar & Grill in Garapan. Of course I had been there before, but for a drink or two and not to eat.

Four tourists were having chasers with their drinks at the next table and all the other customers were also having drinks. It felt kind of awkward to be eating a heavy meal at a bar where everyone else was drinking, shooting darts, playing pool or dancing, but we were hungry and was in no mood to go somewhere else.

Somebody started punching keys on the jukebox and very soon, rock music flooded the bar. A food staffer handed us menus and I was surprised to see a wide selection of food. I did not take a long time to order what I wanted. My fried chicken was served in a short while — marinated chicken pieces fried and served with finadene sauce and ketchup. The slices were bite-size pieces.

sizzling tuna steak

From the local food menu, my companion decided to try the sizzling tuna steak and a couple of rice servings. It was a tasty decision. The fried tuna cubes served with fried onion rings, garlic and bits of onion leaves on a sizzling platter emitted a heavenly aroma enough to make us weak with desire. There was nothing extra special about the fried chicken, but the tuna steak was superb and the slices succulent.

Jonny’s Bar & Grill also serves Fisherman’s Grill, beef kelaguin, Hawaiian poki, tuna tataki, tuna sashimi and deep fried shrimp. Its chasers include fried lumpia, onion rings, fried chicken, fried calamari, fish and chips, French fries and fried mussel. The pasta and sandwich selections include crabmeat spaghetti, spaghetti peperorciro, spaghetti Arrabbiata, Jonny’s burger, Hawaiian burger, jumbo hotdog and cheese steak sandwich.

You can also check out the dinner plates: taco rice, curry taco rice, loco moco, beef stroganoff, seafood pilaf and Jonny’s steak combo — a full meal of Black Angus Beef loin steak and deep fried black tiger shrimp served with plain rice or French bread.

Pancakes — plain, pineapple and banana — are also available.

You can also try Mexican favorites such as pizza quesadillas, fried corn chips, mini tacos and taco salad.

Jonny’s Daily Special is fried chicken on Sunday, fried lumpia on Monday, quesadillas sausage on Tuesday, quesadillas seafood on Wednesday, sizzling squid on Thursday, sizzling chicken on Friday and sizzling sausage on Saturday — all at $4.99. The daily special is served from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.

At Jonny’s, you won’t be pampered like a customer at a restaurant. You have to go to the bar to order water or more rice. After all, Jonny’s is a bar.

You can enjoy your food or drinks at one of the tables inside the dimly lit interior while enjoying the festive mood of dart and pool players. You can also eat at one of the tabletop counters or at the outdoor deck to get a view of the nightlife in Garapan.

Jonny’s is located right next door to Godfathers in Garapan and is open from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. every day. Cards accepted. For inquiries, call 233-9019.

First published at the Marianas Variety

Give in to ‘Guilty Pleasures’

Black Bottom cupcake

GUILTY pleasures come in many forms, and this time they’re mouthwatering home-baked cupcakes and goodies you just can’t resist.

Yield to the temptations that Guilty Pleasures provides through its affordably priced selections of goods baked with love — delectable sweets that aim to satisfy your guilty pleasures.

It took only a tentative bite of a Black Bottom cupcake from Guilty Pleasures last Friday for me to forget that I was not the world’s biggest fan of sweets. I had a tray filled with the most tempting cupcakes — a couple with nut toppings, one with a red berry on top and one chocolate topped with cream, and four delicious looking velvet squares. It was hard to decide which one to try first, but before an hour passed, I had finished the goodies with a little help from my housemate and was craving for more.

Rose Ada Hocog started tempting taste buds and making imaginations run wild in the dead of the night and early morning hours, posting delicious images of cupcakes in various flavors and colors, pies and cookies on Facebook and announcing to the world the irresistible aroma filling her house months ago to combat insomnia.

Hocog’s affair with baking started back in high school where she took a cooking class.

She was hooked from then on, and has left a trail of happy clients since then.

From her nocturnal posts and interactions with commenters on Facebook, the idea to make her guilty pleasures available to everyone was conceived.

Her Facebook posts raised reactions from sweet lovers and soon spread far and wide by word of mouth.

“I thought about it and decided to go forth with a small bake shop,” Hocog said.

“I named it Guilty Pleasures because everyone has something they love, something that pleases them, something that gratifies them, but don’t reveal to anyone for their own private reasons. For some, it may be food, for others it may be something in the bedroom, but one thing’s for sure, we all have our own little guilty pleasures,” Hocog said.

She can do customized cakes, cookies, and cupcakes but only when she has more time and manpower. Orders should be placed at least a week in advance, or 48 hours at the latest.

“I don’t like to do a rush job,” Hocog said.

For special orders for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and other occasions, Hocog said she needs at least a week’s notice.

Products

Choose your favorite pleasures without feeling guilty from any of Hocog’s home-baked products.

Guilty Pleasures bakes and delivers cupcakes and muffins designed to tempt the palates of saints. Choose from different flavors including velvet cupcakes, brownie velvet cupcakes, rainbow cupcakes, snicker doodle cupcakes, banana crumble, smore’s cupcakes, black bottom cupcakes, tipsy turvey toasted rum cupcakes and strawberry cheesecake muffins.

Pies come in a variety of flavors: banana drizzle, cheery drizzle, triple chocolate layers and banana cream pie.

Cake and bread selections include mini choco-velvet cake, popcorn cakes, pumpkin choco bread and pumpkin nut bread, Oreo and rum cakes, s**t in the bucket, berry velvet and berry berry strawberry cakes, and choco-strawberry shortcakes.

Guilty Pleasures also offers cookies, brownies and other goodies like regular brownies with or without nuts, brown velvet squares, chocolate chip cookies, M&M cookies, crack cookies, Smore’s Bars, and rocky road bars at a dozen minimum per order and sesame party mix.

Guilty Pleasures’ best sellers are the velvet brownies, smores cupcakes, black bottom cupcakes, tipsy turvy rum cupcakes, crack cookies, and pumpkin chocolate bread.

For orders or inquiries, send Hocog a message on Facebook, visit her Timeline (Rose Hocog) or text her at 989-1974.

First published at the Marianas Variety

A cold or hot pot of bibimbap

SOME like it hot, served on a sizzling stone pot. Some like it cold, served fresh and ready to eat.

I had never considered bibimbap — a signature Korean dish with mixed vegetables, sautéed and seasoned, sliced or ground meat, and fried or raw egg at the bottom — a favorite dish, until I got to know it better not too long ago.

 

One of my buddies always ordered cold bibimbap and I would crinkle my nose each time. I would watch her mix the ingredients and eat then with gusto. Then another friend took me to Seoul One Restaurant in Garapan for a taste of dolsot bibimbap which was served in a hot stone pot.

A food staffer brought a tray with six little platters of side dishes and a big stone pot with carrots strips, mongo sprouts, lettuce and raw strips of beef topped with raw egg. There was no way I was going to eat that!

Handing me a spoon, my companion instructed me to stir the contents of my stone pot. I never expected the pot to be that hot, turning the rice at the bottom into crispy, golden brown color just the way I liked it. The vegetables and the raw beef crackled in the heat, emitting a very mouth-watering aroma that made me hungry.

Very soon, everything in my bowl was cooked the way I wanted it — egg and beef strips and all flavors blending in. I took a tentative bite and another until the next thing I noticed, I had cleaned the bowl — a rare thing to happen.

Bibimbap, which means “mixed rice,” is famous in Jeonju, Jinju and Tongyeong in Korea.

“Bibim” means mixing, and “bap” means rice. The history of bibimbap dates back to “Siuijeonseo,” an anonymous cookbook from the late 19th century. Some scholars say bibimbap originated from the traditional practice at an ancestral rite of mixing all the food offerings in a bowl before they partook of it.

Because of the convenience of its preparation, bibimbap has become famous in other countries and is also being served on many airlines that fly to South Korea.

Other variations of bibimbap use seafood such as salmon, tuna, tilapia or octopus.

On Saipan

Bibimbap is always available at any of the Korean restaurants on island. Each restaurant serves a different version. For instance, Seoul One and Monte Vista Restaurant serve raw egg while others top it with a sunny side up or a well-done egg.

If you haven’t tried bibimbap, check out any of these restaurants:

Seoul One is on the second floor of Sushi Restaurant across from GIG Discotheque in Garapan. It is open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day. Credit cards are accepted. For reservations, call 233-1900 or 233-7776.

Monte Vista Steak House Restaurant is on Navy Hill and is open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day. Credit cards are accepted. For inquiries and reservations, call 322-3324 or visit www.saipanmontevista.com.

Sam Ho Garden Restaurant in San Antonio is open for lunch from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and dinner from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. every day. Credit cards are accepted. For reservations or inquiries, call 234-3535.

Nam Dae Woon is in Garapan. Just follow the road besides Dollar Days heading toward Middle Road until you see the big sign by the road. It is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and dinner from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Sunday. Only cash is accepted for now. For inquiries or reservations, call 233-2324.

Sashimi House in San Antonio is at the Silver Hotel Building, is open from 10 a.m. until 5 a.m. For more information, call 234-8787.

Moomin Mura in Garapan is open 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.

First published at the Marianas Variety

Surprise in Every Bite at the Miyako

PUSH open the doors of Miyako at the Hyatt Regency Saipan and be in for a whole new journey into a world of authentic Japanese cuisine with the creations of its new sushi Chef Miyako Ito.

 

I promised myself I was just going to take photos and not eat when I went to Miyako to sample the new line of heavenly delights on Friday evening.

I was planning to stick to my promise when Miyako in-charge Edwin Tabora served the appetizer to start off my meal—a heavenly concoction of yam, ginger bud, pickled plum in a small ceramic bowl, pieces of smoked mackerel and scallop, and pickled tofu. I spooned a small portion of the yam and was in for my surprise of the night. The yam, which came from Japan had a sweetish flavor mixed with a tinge of ginger buds. I speared the smoked mackerel and scallops and finished it all in a few minutes. So much for promising I was not going to eat.

Next came the sushi delight, yummy slices of fresh tuna and yellow tail, rolls of squid and seaweed arranged on a white ceramic sushi platter. I did not touch the wasabi paste but delved into the sushi with gusto. Everything was gone in no time at all.

I was getting full but when Edwin took the platter away, another food staffer placed a small soup bowl in front of me. I opened it to reveal a very tempting slice of red snapper imported from Japan, swimming in an appetizing soup. It was a recipe I would never say no to, no matter how full I was. I sipped the soup and gloried in the sweetish salty flavor, battling with what little skills I have with the chopsticks to devour every bit of the snapper before putting back the cover on.

Next, Edwin delivered a dainty plate to my table bearing two slices of perfectly grilled king salmon, imported from Alaska according to Chef Ito. I forked a tentative bite into my mouth, expecting a buttery taste judging from the yellowish appearance of the salmon. I was in for another surprise. I could not put a finger to the flavor of the salmon so I asked Chef Ito, who explained the salmon was marinated in Sake and other spices before being grilling.

I was already so full and was preparing to signal ‘tap out’ when came another platter, this time it was the main dish—  Chef’s Recommendation containing seven pieces Nigiri, every piece meticulously prepared by Chef Ito. Tuna, yellow tail, herring eggs, sea urchin, squid, scallops on a banana leaf atop a wooden platter. Everything was a seafood lover’s dream. If I was able to avoid the wasabi earlier, there was no escape this time but surprisingly, I started to like it. Miyako serves only fresh wasabi using plants straight from Japan, not the commercial ones which come in a tube.

A bowl of red miso soup accompanied the Chef’s Recommendation platter. Finally, dessert came, and I opted for a spoon for vanilla ice cream with instructions to really serve it small. It was far from small but a whole scoop served with a slice of strawberry and orange.

It was a very filling meal you wouldn’t think of eating again until later the next day.

There’s more to sushi and sashimi at the Miyako. Chef Ito brings with him over 30 years of perfecting his craft in sushi making, which means at Miyako, it’s not your regular run-of-the-mill sushi but you get a surprise with every bite.

Check out Miyako and indulge in the mouthwatering creations of Chef Ito at Hyatt Regency Saipan. Experience authentic Japanese cuisine and try any of the wide choices of udon, vegetable stew, tempura, salad, vegetables, stewed eggplant, tofu, and grilled more.in the cozy atmosphere of Miyako.

Enjoy time in the pleasing dimness that makes you feel like being inside a private cove while while sipping any of your favorite drinks—sakes and shochu, wines and other beverages.

Miyako can seat up to 60 persons. They are open for lunch from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm and from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. for dinner from Monday to Saturday. Major credit cards are accepted. For reservations, please call 234-1234 or book reservations online by logging in to saipan.regency.hyatt.com website. Go to the Dining and Entertainment section, and reserve a seat.

Visit the photo gallery on  Facebook here:

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Dining at Pier 54 (aka Moby Dick)

DINING on seafood in a restaurant filled with pictures and carvings of fish, marine life and ship paraphernalia is one experience you can get at Moby Dick. It makes you almost imagine the salty breeze from the ocean blowing through if you open the windows, except that Moby Dick is not on the beach but at the heart of Garapan.

The place is a seafood lover’s haven. An aquarium filled with live lobster sits near the entrance of the restaurant. Carvings of shrimp and fish adorn the walls, along with charts and posters of marine life. Ropes and fishing rods hang on the walls along with old fashioned lanterns.

I had lunch at this restaurant three years ago and only got the chance to come back on Saturday night. Almost all tables were filled when we came in. A food staffer directed us to a table for two and handed us laminated menus. I was tempted to order steak but decided to try the Fish Steak of the Day instead. My friend chose calamari from the appetizer list. The calamari — breaded crispy deep fried with hot chili sauce — was served first. My fish steak arrived a few minutes later — grilled mahi-mahi on a bed of lettuce and served with finadeni, vegetables and baked potatoes.

Moby Dick has been serving locals and tourists for almost two decades now. Check out the special course menu for a taste of Moby Dick combo: Islander Special which is roast lobster, grilled prawns, sautéed scallops, and more; Captain Ahab plate which is steamed or grilled Maine lobster with three kinds of sauces; and fisherman’s platter for two among other choices. Just add $5 to get a set dinner with soup and salad.

You should also try Moby Dick’s lobster special. For $39 you can get lobster island style, or fresh juicy lobster steamed or roasted, with tartar sauce and soy vinegar sauce, or the Lobster Batino which is Moby Dick’s original dish with lemon butter and finadeni sauce.

Moby Dick is also famous for its sirloin and tenderloin steak —hand-cut tender juicy certified Angus served on sizzling steak plates. Combination plates of steak and seafood is available.

The appetizer menu includes smoked salmon, dice fried fish, baked shrimp, steamed mussel, shrimp cocktail, snow crab and marinated seafood cold platter. Also check out the variety of soups and salads available each day. Try the pasta menu which includes all time favorites like spaghetti seafood carbonara, spaghetti confrutta di mare, lasagna and more.

Moby Dick exudes an informal dining ambiance which makes it a comfortable hangout for anyone who wants to spend a leisurely meal or drink with friends and family.

Check out the wine menu at Moby Dick for the finest selections of champagne, wines, whiskey and brandy, shooters and cocktails, Japanese beverages, and local or imported beer. You can have dinner or drinks at the tables on the balcony if you want.

Moby Dick can accommodate up to 50 guests and is open from 11a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch, and from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. for dinner every day. Major credit cards are accepted. Moby Dick is located across from its sister restaurant — Country House — in Garapan. For inquiries or reservations, call 233-1910.

First published at the Marianas Variety

Sizzling lunch amid bric-a-brack at Manic Inn

THE moment I pushed the heavy wooden door of Manic Inn in Susupe yesterday, I felt lost, wondering if I had just stepped into someone’s private home.

Sensing my hesitation, a food staffer welcomed me and my companion, guided us to the bar stools and handed us laminated menus. We were not lost after all.

Seen from outside, Manic Inn’s cement pillars and glass window protected by bars looked intriguing, but I often thought that it was an exclusive night club. If not for the illustrated menu in English and Russian posted outside, I would not have entered it.

Browsing over the menu, we decided to get something to eat first before we continue to look around. The menu mostly had drinks and cocktails.

My companion decided to try sizzling beef steak while I opted for non-spicy fried chicken wings. We also asked for a couple of servings of rice to go with our orders.

While waiting, I feasted my eyes on the knick-knacks lying or hanging around the bar: an old gaslight between a ceramic mug and a stuffed toy, miniature pots and pans wedged between shells and dolls. The walls, bar top and shelves were filled with a glorious array or disarray of totally unrelated bric-a-brac.

Frames with photos turned upside down, etchings and sketches, clipped notes, newspaper clippings, photos of models and sceneries and tattoos and whatever.

An opening in the roof with zigzagged edges provided solar lighting and allowed us to see the rain pelting the smoky glass. A thick, heavy steel chain crept its way across one corner of the floor. Transparent bulbs hung  from bars strung across the ceiling. The place looked like a stockroom.

But it also had a row of comfortable bar stools and a long table at the far end  facing mirrors. Three television sets were mounted on the walls to provide entertainment and karaoke. If you want, you can have your drinks at the table or at the stools outside.

Manic Inn’s totally cozy ambiance makes you feel at home as soon as you get the hang of it.

The food menu is not extensive but it has sandwiches, spring rolls, salad, soup, seafood fried rice, vegetables, sizzling octopus, salmon sashimi, fried or steamed tilapia, fish steaks, wahoo steak, noodles, garlic shrimp, fish and chips, beef steak chaser and more. Food prices may be above your average budget — $10.95 and up.

Our orders arrived in a short while and they were good.

Manic Inn & Bar is located between Izakaya Restaurant and Chow Queen Bakery in Susupe. It is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Major credit cards are accepted. For reservations, call 235-8820, email manicinn@pticom.com, or visit
http://manicinn.com
.

 

This was first published at the Marianas Variety