Guahan Grill

🇬🇺 GUAM / Sneaking down to Oceanside might have to be a more regular occurence after enjoying the food at this relaxed Chamorro gem.

🇬🇺 GUAM
📍 4259 Oceanside Blvd.,
Oceanside, San Diego County
🅿️ Ample parking in plaza
🥤 Full bar

📸 All photos by Jared Cohee
for Eat the World Los Angeles

There have been Guamanian chefs to come and go in Los Angeles, and probably a handful of home chefs still can be found, but to have the cuisine in a restaurant you need to drive south at least to the city of Oceanside, California. A few more options exist further down in San Diego, but Guahan Grill is a great place to approach the food for the first time.

This self-described “island fusion” restaurant uses ingredients and dishes famous with CHamoru (Chamorro) peoples, indigenous to Guam and the other Mariana Islands. While techniques here are adapted to bring the food to a wider audience, many Pacific Islanders seem just as happy as the other customers, dining together with their families under the model of a beautiful fishing outrigger canoe called a galaide.

A CHamoru galaide model hung on the wall.

If it is your first time at the restaurant and you are alone or in a small group, it makes sense to order the Guahan special ($26.50, below), which puts many important dishes on the same plate. The massive meal can probably feed two, with a pile of Chamorro-style fried ribs, chicken kelaguen, a shredded chicken empanada, rice, and a choice of salads.

The spare ribs are an absolute show-stopper. The menu says simply that they use a “special marinade,” but this may be the understatement of the year. The ribs are cooked perfectly, with a firm exterior from frying and ultra-tender meat throughout. The marinade is smoky and full of unique flavors, guaranteed to furrow your brow wondering how something could be so delicious.

Fried Chamorro-style spare ribs

You have the choice of white rice and the Guam staple of red rice, so you may as well choose the latter to get a better taste of the island. This “red” rice is cooked with stock or seasoning, achiote powder, and bacon fat. It is not the flavor bomb that it sounds like, and remains subtle enough to combine tastefully with bites of other food.

Another staple of the Mariana Islands is kelaguen which has a lot in common with Central American salpicon dishes. Lemon juice and a combination of coconut, green onion, and hot peppers is used to marinate meats or raw shrimp. The finished product is served cold and is the perfect side dish, although it can also be the main course.