NY restaurateur opens branch on Saipan

He already owns four Vietnamese restaurants in New York City, including a fine dining place on 2nd Avenue in Manhattan, but he became so enchanted with Saipan that, only six months after arriving on island, he has already opened his fifth, named Sai Gon Vietnam Restaurant.

Chau Chuong, a Vietnamese-American restaurateur, and his wife, Song Yang, launched the new restaurant located near the VFW Post on Beach Road, Garapan last Tuesday.

Sai Gon offers local residents a taste of authentic Vietnamese cuisine.

Interestingly, the rather successful New York restaurateur also works as a cook in the restaurant.

“I do the cooking myself along with my staff,” said the Saigon-born Chau who migrated to New York about 20 years ago.

Chau said his restaurants are popular for serving fresh, healthful and inexpensive meals. He said that, unlike most Oriental cuisine, “our food is non-greasy.”

Sai Gon serves flavorful dimsum—a wide variety of it—delightful vegetables and meat noodles, and appetizing seafood, chicken, pork, and beef selections.

Sai Gon Restaurant’s mouth-watering snack and meal items are reasonably priced, ranging from $4.50 to $12.50 per serving.

“We invite everyone to try something new. I’m sure they will be happy to visit again,” said Yang.

Finding love

Chau said he came to Saipan last year as a tourist.

But he soon discovered that the island is more than just a leisure place; it’s also a place to do business and yes, to fall in love.

He never expected it but it was here that he found his wife, Yang.

Yang was working at the Jade Restaurant of Fiesta Resort & Spa, which Chau had visited on his first day on Saipan.

“We met on his first day here,” related a cheerful Yang, 26.

A Chinese national, Yang has been on Saipan for three years.

Chinese connection

Although they both understand and speak English, Chau and Yang find it comfortable to speak daily in their common language, Chinese.

Chau turned out to be fluent in Cantonese and Chinese as well as Vietnamese.

New York style

Chau said Sai Gon Restaurant runs like his restaurants in New York; it is open even in the afternoon for people who want to drop by and hang out for coffee or tea.

The restaurant is open from 11am to 11pm.

Chau’s restaurants in New York City are Viet Hong located on 73 Mulberry St., Vermicelli on Second Avenue, Miss Saigon on Third Avenue, and Miss Saigon 2 near Columbia University.