Satiate your craving for local food at Longshoremen

The ringing of the phone kept me on my toes as I waited for somebody to pick up the other line, wondering and praying that Longshoremen’s Restaurant manager Carolyn Nakamura-Takada will give in to my spur-of-the-moment notice to feature their specialty for this section. She didn’t fail me.
To cut it short, I was Longshoremen’s Restaurant in Malakal in no time at all and spread before me was a Palauan buffet set- a round plate lined with banana leaves filled with local food enough to challenge your gustatory system: a whole rabbit fish fried to perfection, a slice of grilled tuna belly, vegetable salad, taro, a serving of rice, and a small dish of soy sauce dip with spices, strips of banana cooked in coconut milk, juicy slices of melon and orange, a bowl of fish soup with vegetables and fresh coconut juice to down it. I almost gave in to the temptation to wash my hands and dig into the tantalizing meal before me.
The Palauan buffet is the restaurant’s specialty, says Carolyn. A regular plate costs only $6 and it is always available but they vary the dishes on the menu everyday.
Carolyn’s father, former president Kuniwo Nakamura said he catches the rabbit fish served the restaurant, and the taro and banana are from his farm.
The restaurant’s cozy ambiance gives you freedom to eat, relax and engage in free conversation, a place where you can be yourself.  Palauan story boards and posters of the island adorn the walls of the restaurant, adding to the homey atmosphere.
Aside from local food, Longshoremen’s Restaurant offers Morning Teasers or set breakfasts, and meals where you can create your own combinations. They also serve a wide selection of all-time favorites like beef busters, chicken cuisines, pork fare, fish and seafood supreme, sizzlers, rice bowl toppings, noddles and pasta, steaming hot soups, burgers and sandwiches and salad specials. All these are priced affordably to fit your budget.
Carolyn said the restaurant offers catering services for birthdays, weddings, custom parties and any other occasion.
Visit Longshoremen’s Restaurant and give in to that craving for your favorites or for the Palauan local food now. The restaurant is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays to Sundays. Please call 488-2616 for orders/reservations.