3 for '007: pt.1, guam: jojo's adobo.

i'm not a fan of "best of" lists, as i think "best" is a subjective term with indeterminate variables, disguised as an objective study; i much prefer finding out people's favourites, as you already know that there are personal biases involved. i'd spent a lot of time in guam, manila and los angeles last year, and am likely to spend more time in all three place in this year. i've had great meals everywhere, but have three favourites from 2006 that i hope some of you might try in 2007. they may not make anyone's "best" list, but they are definitely different, and what attracts me to them is the overall tastiness of the food, genial and prompt service, and the consistency of both. that's gotta count for something, right?

currently my favourite restaurant in guam isn't a restaurant per se, but really just a food stall at the chamorro village. jojo's adobo is a small kitchen with a small menu that serves big lunches five days a week, and dinner at the wednesday night markets. the kitchen is manned by owner jojo santo tomas, and "big" mike rozanski; the food is a pretty accurate representation of what guamanian home cooking is all about: a mix of well-prepared chamorro, filipino, and american food, served in generous portions. i've tried everything on the permanent menu, quite a few of the daily specials, and so far i've found that all of the offerings are fresh, hearty, fairly priced, and very tasty. it's like what your mom would make, especially if your mom was a big local dude.



there are three items on the permanent menu: peping's adobo (from jojo's father's recipe for a popular filipino stew), chinese chicken salad, and the aloha pigwich. the adobo is made with sage-rubbed pork, simmered in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and caramelized onions, then served on a bed of white rice. this particular adobo is quite savoury and not particularly piquant from the vinegar--there's just a smooth, slight acidity in with the sweet onions, milky tender pork, and mellowed garlic.

the chinese chicken salad is made with finely shredded nappa cabbage, red cabbage, green onions, and marinated chicken breast, and served with a gingery vinaigrette, slivered almonds, and fried rice paper wrapper crunchies. it, too, is quite tender as i believe the younger cabbage leaves are used, and make a fine vehicle for the asian-inspired dressing. the pigwich is filled with a generous amount of kalua-style shredded pork, smoky and sweet, and served on a freshly baked french roll with sautéed cabbage and onions on the side.

some of the daily specials include a pan-fried tofu in an asian green sauce made with ginger, garlic, green onions, and cilantro, and an adobo made with korean-style kalbi beef shortribs. both are quite generous in portions and in flavour, even though you could technically classify the tofu as the 'healthier' and 'lighter' option as it is vegan, and very clean in its flavours (although lighter might be debatable as i think you get a full block o' tofu). the shortrib adobo is a serious stick-to-your-ribs affair that can take you an afternoon to get through as you suck the tender meat and rich gravy off the soft bones that fill the bowl. would this be healthier as you probably won't eat for a couple meals afterwards? perhaps not. one of the most popular items seems to be the "green fish": a tilapia fillet pan-fried in one of two green sauces: the asian-inspired one like the sauce used with the pan-fried tofu, or an italian-inspired basil pesto. there is also a "green steak" available, cooked the same way only with slices of tender sirloin steak.

although the menu is small, everything is quite tasty, the prices are relatively low, and there is enough variety in the daily specials that you can visit every week without getting bored. both jojo and mike are friendly guys, and jojo will email you every sunday with a list of the specials for the week. there is a definite relaxed attitude about the place, but they are quite serious about the food; they try very hard to get your meal out to you in the a reasonable amount of time, without sacrificing flavour or quality. stop by if you have a chance.



jojo's adobo
chamorro village, next to the main pavilion and shrimp shack.
671.477.DOBO.


part 2 of 3 of '007

part 3 of 3 for '007



tagged! guam restaurants guam dining chamorro chamoru guam