February 26, 2016
By Josie Moyer
It’s that time of year when we reflect on our island’s history, heritage, and native culture by devoting a month to festivities and celebrations. One of our favorite ways to celebrate Mes Chamoru is to eat Chamoru. Of course we know that no one cooks better Chamoru food than your Nåna, but here are a few places that serve up tasty local flavors. Biba Mes Chamoru!
The Lemai Café & Restaurant
Since 2008, Arlene Bordallo and her crew at The Lemai Cafe & Restaurant have been serving Chamorro homestyle favorites made from locally grown and sourced ingredients. At The Lemai Cafe you can get your fix of all the Chamorro favorites you grew up with like kadun pika, tinaktak, chicken chalakilis and more. If you’re looking for flavors that go beyond the typical fiesta plate, try the fina’denne’ sardines for breakfast or the pig feet estufao for lunch. Customer favorites include oxtail and taro in coconut milk, tinala katne and chopped steak. Dine-in customers receive a complimentary dessert.
Open: Monday-Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Location: 673 Purple Heart Highway (Route 8) Maite, Guam
Tel: 475-6262
Linda’s Coffee Shop
For that late night craving for down home Chamorro comfort food, go directly to Linda’s Coffee Shop in East Hagåtña. Winner of the Best Late-Night Dining award for Pika’s Best of 2015, this 24/7 local diner has served generations of hungry after-hour patrons but also pulls in huge breakfast, lunch and after-Sunday-mass crowds.
“Ninety percent of our customers are locals. If you want to find the food local people eat at home, you can find it here,” says general manager Andrew Leon Guerrero.
The best thing about Linda’s is you can order the corned beef fried rice breakfast at any time of the day. The second best thing about Linda’s is you can order everything else on the menu at any time of the day.
Open: 24-hours, 7 days a week
Location: Marine Corps Drive East Hagåtña
Tel: 472-6117
Terry’s Local Comfort Food
Originally located in Yigo, Terry’s Local Comfort Food relocated to Tumon last year and offers a delectable menu of Chamorro dishes that are not always found in other island restaurants. At Terry’s you’ll find all the staples of Chamorro cuisine such as red rice, kelaguen and barbecue. Terry’s also offers local comfort dishes such as hagan suni, ham hock and mungo beans, ox tail soup and more. Don’t be fooled by its Tumon location–this is no tourist trap. The majority of the patrons at Terry’s are devoted locals who love the savory menu of Chamorro cuisine that restaurant owner Tessie Bordallo developed with an ardent attention to taste, quality and authenticity.
Open: Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday)
Location: 916 Pale San Vitores Road, Tumon (next to Holiday Resort & Spa Guam)
Tel: 646-FOOD
Chode Mart
For Chamorro snacks, pastries and lunch plates on the go, check out Chode Mart in Hagåtña, but get there early because Chode Mart is not exactly a secret spot. Insiders say to get there between 7:15 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. to find most of the fresh pastries and savory foods out on the shelves. Chode Mart sells pastries and food catered by outside vendors but also prepares their own in-house snacks and foods. The list of freshly baked goods you can find daily at Chode’s is a mile long: empanada, kelaguen, potu, apigigi, calamai, cookies, guyuria, latiya, roskete, pan tosta, assorted cakes and pies, lunch plates, soups and on and on. You can also order your next party platter from Chode’s Food Service, which offers catering for any occasion.
Open: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., 7 days/week
Location: 125 9th Street, Hagåtña
Tel: 477-1524
Pay-Less Supermarkets
For healthier, at-home Chamorro cooking, Pay-Less Supermarkets is tying in their redesigned Health Smart program with their Chamorro Month celebration. With the help of company Registered Dietitian Rosae Calvo, Pay-Less has expanded the Health Smart program to include food education, store tours, featured products and fitness. Health Smart is a free service dedicated to helping customers along their journey to health and wellness and is chock-full of practical information including how to modify Chamorro recipes by substituting ingredients for healthier versions. For more information about the Pay-Less Health Smart program, visit them in-store or online at paylessmarkets.com.
