CK Smoke House unveils ‘beefiest’ menu

CK Smoke House, that’s where it’s at. That’s the answer to Wendy’s age-old question where’s the beef as the Chalan Kanoa restaurant unveiled its newest meat menu that can make any caveman or keto diet practitioner drool with excitement

CK Smoke House’s new all-star lineup includes beef and vegetable hot pot, local beef kelaguen, Korean pot BBQ, beef pancake, and their own version of bulgogi.

Manager Dae Il Lee said the five new dishes take advantage of sister company, Marianas Meat Harvesting Corp., as it’s the only certified USDA-Food Safety and Inspection Service in the CNMI, guaranteeing the freshest meat this side of the Western Pacific.

“We aim to offer the CNMI community with locally grown beef and pork meats. The meats are already available at Sabalu Market and Fresh Market-Meat/Seafood/Others in Garapan. But in order to reach more customers, CK Smoke House came up with this additional meat menu for the community to enjoy,” he said.

Originally called Mille-feulle Nabe (Mille-feulle is “leaves” in French and Nabe is Japanese for “beef hot pot”), beef and vegetable hotpot is inspired by Japan and Korea’s beef soup.

“What’s best about it is that CK Smoke House uses local fresh meats with less fat and a very light, healthy, and savory flavored soup,” said Lee.

Beef kelageun, meanwhile, is literally Chamorro raw beef and Lee said it pretty much suits the local palate.

“Since this menu can only be made using fresh raw meats, CK Smoke House is confident to serve it since the meat comes directly from our company-operated slaughterhouse,” he said.

CK Smoke House’s Korean pot BBQ offers lightly charred and smoky grilled meat. The marinated meat is baked for many hours in a Korean traditional clay pot with the charcoal emitting far-infrared heat that slowly cooks the meat, which also gradually releases the meat’s fats.

Lee said this special method gives the meat a tastier and more flavorful taste.

The beef pancake is a Korean popular dish that offers the best flavor and texture with thinly sliced meat, eggs, and simple condiments.

“We are happy to introduce this Korean comfort food to Saipan,” said Lee.

And everyone’s favorite Korean meat dish, bulgogi—also called yakiniku—has been further enhanced by CK Smoke House by using fresh meat with its own special sauce.

“Of the five newly introduced dishes, so far, the bestseller is the bulgogi. However, people who have tasted our beef and vegetable soup gave very positive feedbacks. So, I think the nabe will become more popular in the future. We are also optimistic that Korean pot BBQ will become one of our bestsellers as well,” said Lee.

Save for the Korean pot BBQ, while the rest are readily available in other Korean restaurants on Saipan, Lee said what sets CK Smoke House’s versions of these time-tested dishes are the freshness of their meats.

“Aside from offering the best and authentic Korean menu, CK Smoke House’s edge from other restaurants is that our meats come from locally grown grass-fed cows and pigs. The livestock are processed under the strict supervision of USDA-FSIS personnel so we can guarantee the meat’s freshness. CNMI residents can enjoy the benefits of healthier meats.”

Having your own slaughterhouse also doesn’t only guarantee freshness of the meat, but also allows CK Smoke House to super-size the portions of their menus to the delight of their loyal diners.

The new meat menu consisting of the beef and vegetable soup, local beef kelaguen, Korean pot BBQ, beef pancake, and bulgogi are available for lunch and dinner at CK Smokehouse.

CK Smokehouse is open daily for breakfast, from 6:30am to 10am; lunch from 10am to 2pm; and dinner from 5pm to 9pm. The adjacent CK Chicken & Beer can also accommodate customers with CK Smokehouse’s menu until 12am.

CK Smoke House also accepts private reservation and selection of party packages for various occasions.

CK Smoke House is located at the side of the U.S. Post Office in Chalan Kanoa and can easily seat up to 70 customers. For more information, call (670) 234-3331 or (670) 783-8050. They can also be reached via their Facebook or Instagram accounts.