Chow Time opens new and bigger location

Chow Time owner Anna Liza Alcantara joins Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, Father Rey Rosal, friends, and staff during the ribbon-cutting ceremony of Chow Time’s new location at the old Virralicci parlor in Garapan.

Chow Time is moving to a larger place, which is a mere stone’s throw away from their current location inside the 99 Cents Store in Garapan.

Owner Anna Liza Alcantara said the old takeout snack bar is expanding to become a full-fledged restaurant by taking over the old digs of the Virralicci parlor. 

So, from a location that could barely seat six, the new and improved Chow Time can now comfortably accommodate 50 customers. 

Father Rey Rosal conducts a blessing of the new Chow Time location. (MARK RABAGO)

Alcantara, however, clarified that the new Chow Time, for the meantime, is available only for large catering events like birthdays, christenings, weddings, graduations, promotions, or any special celebrations.

“For now, the new location is open to host parties as we can’t open it as a restaurant yet because it’s the busy season for catering with the holiday season and all.”

Guests were treated to a smorgasbord of Chow Time’s all-time favorites. (MARK RABAGO )

She said though that Chow Time will start welcoming its loyal customers and new ones starting next month when they finally move in.

Aside from their usual bestsellers like tokwa’t baboy, sinigang, kaldereta, beef stew, chicken curry, and the ever affordable $3 breakfast meals, Chow Time can now prepare new dishes. 

Among them are combo plates like beef, seafood, and chicken with vegetable, rice, and soup that all typically start at $13.

Alcantara is also excited with their $5 beef pares with unlimited soup with fried rice. Papaitan will also be an everyday fare at the new Chow Time.

Sizzling squid, which they only sold at Sabalu Market, will also now be part of the menu. Ditto for sizzling plates, which they used to serve at Chow Time 2.

Also part of the expanded menu is sizzling balut and everyone’s favorite—pork and chicken barbecue skewers.

The genesis of Chow Time came about when Alcantara, then a customer service agent at Pacific Oriental Inc. Aviation, and her coworkers used to pine for food during their shift in the wee hours of the morning. 

That’s when she realized this could be a business opportunity and Chow Time was born.

Aside from satisfying her coworkers’ hunger at the airport, Alacantara soon started delivering at Century Insurance and Saipan Tribune in 2015

Before coming to Saipan, Alcantara shared that her family wasn’t well off in the Philippines. In fact, her children hardly had enough food to eat. 

“Sometimes my kids would come home hungry and ask what food was there. I’d say adobo, which is our codename for rice with soy sauce; or shrimp, which is our codename for rice and Oishi (Filipino prawn crackers),” she said.
Alcantara also isn’t ashamed to say that she used to hitchhike when she was selling her food and that’s why she doesn’t hesitate to offer rides to strangers herself on her now fully paid SUV.

Alcantara hosted friends and staff that helped her grow the business during the soft opening and blessing of the new Chow Time last Thursday. Guests included Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and Father Rey Rosal. 

More than 60 guests had their fill of Chow Time’s all-time favorites like fried chicken, sisig, chopsuey, palabok, mechado, lechon, and the aforementioned papaitan and beef pares, among others.

Alcantara specifically thanked her AKAP family, lawyer Steve Pixley and her executive secretary Susan Espanillo, Celso Agui, U.S. Passport Office’s Maggie Naputi, Cristy Villaflor, her daughter’s soccer coach, and her beloved staff, which she largely attributes Chow Time’s success to.

For more information on Chow Time and their wide selection of food for catering, call (670) 233-8463, (670) 989-4247, or go to their Facebook page.