Dubai chocolate craze puts Cafe Citrus on Saipan’s culinary map
BY MARK RABAGO
Saipan Correspondent
FINA SISU, Saipan — She took a viral Middle Eastern confection and turned it into one of Saipan’s most sought-after desserts—putting a once “hidden café” firmly on the map in the process.
At just 27, Cafe Citrus manager Sua Kim has made Dubai chocolate creations a local favorite, drawing in students, office workers, tourists — and repeat customers willing to line up daily for her labor-intensive signature, the Dubai chewy cookie.
Café Citrus is located in Fina Sisu in Saipan and makes its own Dubai chocolate. Photo by Mark Rabago
“I first saw this dessert trending in Korea and decided to try making it myself,” Kim said. “I was blown away by how delicious it was, and I immediately knew I wanted to share this amazing taste with the people here in Saipan.”
The timing proved crucial.
“It was actually perfect timing for us, as this trend was starting to go viral internationally,” she said.
From there, Kim set out to develop her own version — one that would stand out in both texture and taste. “I’ve spent a lot of time refining my own recipe to capture that addictive ‘chewy-meets-crunchy’ contrast: a soft marshmallow exterior with a crunchy kataifi filling,” she said.
Her lineup now features three core variations.
“Our main lineup includes: Du Jjon-ku (Dubai Chewy Cookie): crunchy kataifi and rich pistachio and white chocolate spread; He-Jjon-ku (Hazelnut Chewy Cookie): a nutty twist with premium hazelnuts and dark/milk chocolate; Mal-Jjon-ku (Matcha Chewy Cookie): a perfect balance of earthy matcha and milk spread.”
Despite the streamlined menu, production remains intensive. “For now, we only have like four at the moment because the Dubai Chewy Cookie was so popular,” Kim said. “We have to make the Chewy Cookie… every single day.”
She said, “It actually takes about like 18 hours to make it. We have to buy the pistachio… we wash it, we bake it, and then we grind it… and then for the main ingredients, the kadai noodles, we cannot get it here… so we had to make our own.”
The crispy kataifi element — difficult to source on island — forced Kim to improvise.
“I tried to get it from Amazon or like from Korea… but it took so long,” she said. “So we bake the batter, we make the noodles, and then we buttercoat it, and then we bake it… it’s a really long process.”
Still, the payoff has been immediate and sustained.
“It was very popular, so a lot of people came back to get it,” Kim said. “I put up a post on Facebook and then that became viral… it was sold out every single day. One day I made like 80 of them — it was sold out on that day too.”
Even as a premium product, Kim said she made a conscious decision to keep pricing accessible. “At Cafe Citrus, we’re committed to using only the finest ingredients,” she said. “I want to offer these premium treats at the most reasonable price possible for our community, so I’ve set all three flavors at $7 each to maintain that high quality without making it too expensive.”
Customer response has validated that approach.
“Despite being a premium product, the response has been incredible,” Kim said. “We’ve been selling out almost every day. It’s been so rewarding to see many customers return for repeat purchases and tell us how much they love them. It makes me truly happy to see that people recognize the effort we put into every single cookie,” she said.
The café, which opened in July 2024, initially struggled with foot traffic due to its off-main-road location.
“In the beginning, because we were kind of like the hidden café… we only had students or some people,” Kim said. “But after Dubai, we have a lot of customers… that’s what put you on the map.”
Cafe Citrus also doubles as a place of worship on Sundays, operating as Shalom Church led by Kim’s father. “That’s why we’re closed on Sunday,” she said. “We always have the worship on Sunday.”
Like many small businesses in the Northern Marianas, Kim is navigating rising costs, particularly in coffee and logistics.
“The coffee prices are going up and everything is going up,” she said. “Because of the cost of shipping… and the global warming makes the coffee beans… there’s a lack of coffee in the entire world.”
Kim said, “It’s maybe about more than 10%… maybe like 20%, But I haven’t increased my coffee price… I just wanted to keep it until I can.”
Kim, who holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Northern Marianas College, said her background helps her manage both finances and operations. “I can just take all the accounting stuff… I can manage,” she said.
Her pivot into baking came during the pandemic. “After I graduated… I had time to think about what I want to do,” Kim said.
“Baking was always something I wanted to do.” Looking ahead, she plans to expand hours to include breakfast service while continuing to innovate new flavors.
For now, though, it is the chewy-meets-crunchy signature that continues to define Cafe Citrus — and drive customers through its doors.
A couple of other establishments create their own products out of Dubai Chocolate on Saipan. Sunflower Market makes Dubai Chocolate Mochi Ball, while Uni Catering sells its K-Strawberry Dubai Cup. Joeten Superstore sells the Nutty FrUity Dubai Chocolate Bars. mbj
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