Saipan’s first Shrimp Shack opens

IT’S finally here! Saipan’s first Shrimp Shack will officially open this afternoon at the Star Sands Plaza in Garapan.
The Saipan Shrimp Shack will be selling locally grown sweet shrimp from  Anthony Pellegrino’s shrimp farm in six mouth-watering plate variations.  Saipan Shrimp Shack manager Prinze Joel Salvosa, who is more popularly known as “Prinze the Magician,” said they decided to offer the shrimp plates to entice more locals and tourists to patronize locally grown products.
Salvosa said that since they started offering shrimp plates to their customers, it has started to become a household word and they have increased their shrimp consumption to about 30 pounds a day.
“Every day we get lots of orders for fried shrimp, and this will also pave the way for people outside the Marianas to hear about our locally grown shrimp here,” Salvosa said.
Star Sands Plaza president Alex Youn said the concept of Saipan Shrimp Shack is to give their customers, especially tourists, something that is from here and something that is available every day.
“People can find barbeque and sometimes shrimp at the street market on Thursdays only, but we want to offer something where customers can eat any day they want to,” Youn said.

From the aquarium to the pan

Have it fresh, have it crunchy and have it crispy. At the Saipan Shrimp Shack, diners are assured of eating the freshest shrimp found on island.
Shrimp are delivered fresh and live everyday from the farm to the aquarium at the Saipan Shrimp Shack and kept fresh until ready for frying.
“This is what makes our shrimp dishes different — we don’t buy frozen ones. You see them swimming in the aquarium at a maintained temperature, then see them at your plates next — all ready to eat,” Salvosa said.
For $5, you can have half a pound of deep fried crispy shrimp — about 15 to 20 pieces for the smaller ones, or 10 to 15 pieces of the bigger shrimp.
Salvoza said they are now offering six variations of shrimp menu. Try the sweet chili sauce shrimp, steamed shrimp with oyster sauce, sautéed shrimp with oyster sauce, and shrimp fried rice — all for $5 per order, and shrimp and jumbo fries for $6.

Another bestseller of the Saipan Shrimp Shack is the shrimp fried rice — the only fried rice where full-sized shrimp are mixed and blended along with the flavors of the fried rice.

The shrimp plates are the newest addition to the regular servings of hot sandwiches, hotdog, hot pockets, and chicken and pork barbeque. Salvosa said he owes everything to his expert culinary team including Sam, Caloy, Shela, Marissa   and Monet and their paint tattoo artist Ruby.

Saipan Shrimp Shack provides an ideal spot to hangout, drink your favorite beer or beverages at very affordable prizes, enjoy the fresh air outside, watch the shoppers or go shopping inside after a satisfying meal, enjoy the magic performances of Salvosa and the local dancers, get entertained by the appearance of Spiderman and the two bears, and see the street spring to life in the early evening hours.
In short, the Saipan Shrimp Shack is where you “eat, drink, and enjoy life around you.”
For its grand opening today, Star Sands Plaza has invited the famous Manta Ray Band from the Saipan Southern High School to perform for the special event.

Everyone is invited to dig into the delicious bites of deep fried shrimp and watch Salvosa weave his magic performances for the grand opening tonight, and for every night after.
The Saipan Shrimp Shack can accommodate up to 50 persons. It is open every day from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.  Major credit cards are accepted. For inquiries, call  233-3131.