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I’m often asked about where to get the best seafood dinner. It’s been a bit of a challenge since so much of our seafood is imported. We do have some restaurants that specialize in seafood. How about eating great seafood only a few feet from the ocean? That narrows down the number of candidates. What if I told you I know where you can eat some seafood that comes from the ocean that’s just beyond your table? This place has crabs crawling out of the water that scurry along the beach, scavenging for food!
This place happens to be the Sunset Beach BBQ at the Aqua Resort Club Saipan. This remote resort property is the ideal getaway from the “hustle and bustle” of the downtown Garapan “city” area. Although crowds sometimes have their appeal, there are times when you just want to relax and re-charge. That’s what the ARC provides their guests. The ultimate serenity. For the Sunset Beach BBQ, there is a minimum of 2 and there are four optional courses. The Mix Grill, The Prime Meat, the Deluxe Seafood, and the Deluxe Mixed Grill. The Mix Grill , Prime Meat, and Deluxe Mixed Grill all have meats like Chamorro Sausage, Beef Short-Ribs, Chicken, Veal Loin, Lamb Chops, and Filet Mignon. Today, we’re only talking seafood, and the Deluxe Seafood Course should satisfy the most demanding appetite for delicious, fresh seafood. The charge is $65.00/person and you get Jumbo Prawns and New Zealand Green Mussels. Then you have fresh crab legs from crabs that are caught just beyond the reef in some of Saipan’s freshest, uncontaminated waters. You also get a whole reef fish (for tonight we had a beautiful Parrot Fish), and a live Maine Lobster. These are grilled by expert chefs and served in two courses.
When you first sit down for this meal you are treated to refreshing coconut milk right from the coconut’s heart. You have warm tortilla chips and salsa to go with a beverage or cocktail of your choice. You also have a dinner salad. When your first course is served, you will see a gorgeous platter full grilled skewered vegetables (Zucchini, tomato, eggplant and onion, grilled red peppers, mussels, prawns, and grilled crabs), which are absolutely marvelous! The finadene is fresh-made and is a tantalizing enhancement to everything on the platter.
While you are eating your first course, a local trio performs Chamorro chants and does a fire show. They engage the audience and later have photos taken with them. The second grilled course arrives while a solo troubadour wanders from table to table taking song requests from guests and then playing them on his guitar.
The platter is breath-taking, with grilled corn on the cob, grilled yaki-onigiri (rice w/sesame seeds), the parrot fish, and the lobster cut down the middle. There is a ramekin with lemon butter sauce awaiting your first dip! You just have to do your best! When we were finished this course we were given an unexpected surprise – roasted marshmallow on a skewer! It reminded me of my early camping days with the boy scouts.
For dessert (save room) you get a small dish of vanilla ice cream. Wow, what a fabulous feast this turned out to be! Our expectations were surpassed! So the next time you are in the mood for seafood, do it right and get over the Saipan’s Aqua Resort Club’s Sunset Beach BBQ! Dinner starts at 6 p.m. Call ahead for reservations.
Bon Appetit!
Ken “The Guam Food Guy” Stewart
