Kikass Snack Bar satisfies your ‘mixed’ cravings

Kikass Snack Bar owner Myrna M. Quitugua said her stall sells a mixture of  Chamorro, Hawaiian, Japanese, and Mexican foods. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS)

Kikass Snack Bar is the island’s self-proclaimed headquarters of inexpensive mixed snacks and light meals since opening at Kada Dia in Chalan Kanoa in 2021.

“We call it ‘mix a lot’ because we sell a mixture of  Chamorro, Hawaiian, Japanese, and Mexican foods from our poke bowls, sushis, manha titiyas, donni, bishus, quesadillas, mezzing corn, chesa platters, etc.,” owner Myrna M. Quitugua told Saipan Tribune.

Since opening nearly two years ago, Kikass Snack Bar has become quite known for their poke bowls, bento box, sushis, mezzing corn, pika corn, and pickles.

“We have all the food to satisfy all the cravings from sweet, sour, salty, cheesy, and of course spicy,” she said.

And rightfully so since Quitugua isn’t called the “Queen of Donni” for nothing.

“I’ve been eating donni all my life and a lot of people know me as the ‘Donni Queen.’ I’ve been selling hot pepper and bishu in Washington state for over five years now. I have an online store called ‘Kikass Donni & Things’ so I decided to just stick with the name and besides, the majority of the food I sell is spicy.”

The name of Quitugua’s online business and the succeeding food stall actually comes from her nickname.

“Kikass came from my name ‘Frances’  instead of ‘kika’ I just went with the double ‘s,’” she explained.

Kikass Snack Bar’s shoyu poke bowl.
(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Kikass Snack Bar’s poke bento box.
(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

As for daring to be entrepreneurs during the time of COVID-19, Quitugua simply said opportunity always favors the bold.

“Me and my husband, Richard, moved back to Saipan from Washington State in July 2021 after being away from the islands for over 15 years. We just decided it’s time to come back home. We opened in September 2021 during the pandemic because there were some open stalls at Kada Dia Market in CK so we decided to take whatever was available and go from there. I said to myself, ‘This is not the  perfect timing but let’s use our time wisely.’”

Like other stalls at Kada Dia, Kikass Snack Bar has dine-in accommodations for customers, but Quitugua said most of their business is take-away.

“Majority of what we do are take-out and grab-and-go and we also offer free delivery especially to schools to accommodate teachers and staff, but we have chairs and tables outside so people can enjoy their meals.”

Not familiar with their food? Quitugua has you covered as Kikass Snack Bar offers samples of everything they sell.

“Just come on down to Kada Dia and support local and small businesses,” she said.

Kikass Snack Bar is located at the Kada Dia Everyday Market by the Chalan Kanoa post office. They are open from 11am to 4pm, Monday-Saturday. For more information or for advance orders, call 670-484-5452 (KIKA). They are also on social media (Instagram and Facebook).