the last time i had the privilege of prubechu's company, i had only experienced the staff and space but had yet to experience the food.  i waited for an opportune time: to celebrate my sister's birthday with 24 close friends in tow.  not one person left disappointed nor hungry and we all left deeply inspired.

the modest interiors, plain-clothes staff, re-purposed furniture, and a black painted canvas canopy for a sign (with the former restaurant's name and address still ghosted) do not give you an indication of what to expect.  once you step in, the aromas and sounds of Guam already begin to fill your mind with the warmth about to be served by way of food and service.  shawn camacho and shawn naputi work fervently side by side while steering their staff to each thoughtful and beautiful dish that lands before you.

we opted for the tasting menu and ordered an ala-carte dish (red rice with broccolini, house-made kim chee, and pork belly) along with the day's special: soft-shell crab on a bed of coconut milk-and-ginger-braised vegetables.  the tasting menu started with a fresh oyster marinated in tuba (coconut vinegar).  smoky corn soup with clams and hints of spicy achote oil, a shrimp patty souffle served with fried shrimp heads and pickled cucumbers, escabeche with battered smelt and crumbled chorizos espagnot, tinala katne and grilled shitake and sugar snap peas with pork chalikilis, beef kadu with enlish peas and sotanghon (mung bean thread) noodles, and finished exquisitely with coconut candy ice cream, inalajan sea salt, and apigigi.

born and raised on guam yet in a filipino kitchen - all the flavors are reminiscent and familiar.  you'll be reminded of sukang ma'asim, laing, pinakbet, nilaga, and tupig but the context is all guam.  every plate was well-presented and impressive

i dare conclude with a very bold statement - this is the best chamorro food: not just in the city, the bay area, the state of california, the country...but in the planet.  if you are from guam and visiting, your palette will be awakened by the fresh iterations of each dish.  if you've never been to guam and would like to know about guam...prubechu embarks you on a new discovery.

all photos without filter, taken by my iphone.

3 comments

1. Unknown on June 15, 2014 at 4:22 PM

   Omg, you are so Carrie Bradshaw in Sex in the City, but with food! LOVED this blog. Now, I'm hungry!

    
2. mona on June 16, 2014 at 8:43 AM

   I love what islanders can cook here in the mainland. Makes me miss home bula!

    
3. the fab mimi on June 26, 2014 at 12:50 AM

   @kim: rate the food, rate the dude = something that i wish i had the life to blog about haha.
   
   @mona: mainland inspiration has also influenced cooking back home because of returning off-islanders!
   
   thanks for reading :)