Early dinner at Four Season Restaurant

AN early dinner was something that was not in our plans when a buddy and I drove around the island a couple of Saturday afternoons back, but we found ourselves pushing the door of this new green-painted Korean food outlet on Beach Road called Four Season Restaurant.

The sight of immaculate tables and chairs greeted our eyes as we came in and headed for the farthest table at the innermost room separated by a huge open door from the main room.

A cheerful food staffer handed us menus which we browsed for a few minutes before my buddy decided to try out the chicken cutlet from the set dishes. I opted for the braised fish. Our food came in very shortly, even before we were halfway into our sodas. My buddy’s chicken cutlet was served first, deep fried thick chicken slices coated with flour with catsup, steamed rice and steamed broccoli. My order followed, the tail part of a big tilapia swimming in a heavenly blend of soy sauce and seasoning and topped with fried onion and garlic slices.

Our plans not to eat a real early dinner flew out the window as we dug into our plates.

From the $5 set menu, you can try Mapo tofu, pork hocks, Kung-Pao chicken, pork intestine, beef broccoli, eggplant, pork cutlet, chicken adobo, pork chops, chop suey and the sweet and sour pork set.

Four Season Restaurant offers a wide selection of cold dishes like smoked chicken, pork hock, beef stripes, cold salad or potato stripes and more from $5 to $15, a variety of beef, chicken and pork specialties, seafood dishes, and different kinds of delicious soups. Check out the ever-present dumplings, noodles and rice dishes and try out their snow-fried dumplings, boiled or steamed dumplings, pork siopao, fried rice and red bean filled sesame, all from a dollar to $8.

For lunch,  Four Season recently started serving very affordable food at a promo price of $1per choice with generous servings.

Four Season’s menu would fit into anyone’s budget easily. The restaurant’s pastel painted walls, hanging lanterns and paintings hanging on the walls provide a cozy ambiance ideal for small gatherings and intimate dinners with close friends or family members, or a stopover for a hasty lunch.

On our way out, a transparent container filled with various things and a yellowish liquid near the counter caught my attention. Fishing out my camera, I was about to snap a photo when the food staffer stopped me and said taking pictures of the liquid concoction was not allowed. She told us that was a special Chinese energy drink that is a favorite of many. She also told us that the ingredients came straight from China. When I asked what the special drink was for, she winked and told me to “let my boyfriend try a shot and I will know.” Alas, I’ve no chance or plans to find out.

Four Season Restaurant, managed by general manager Jia Cheng Zhang, opens for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Only cash is accepted for now. The restaurant is located across from the 13 Fishermen Memorial on Beach Road and near the Saipan Computer System. For inquiries or reservations, call 233-5888 or email saipanjavili@hotmail.com.
Early dinner at Four Season Restaurant | out-to-eat.