Traditional New Year Fare, Chinese Style

Jai ($9.99)

A bounty of Northern Chinese cuisine awaits at Canton Seafood Restaurant on Keeaumoku Street. Here you’ll find a menu overflowing with an array of options that appeal to the Cantonese food lover in you. This 130-seat restaurant plays host to casual lunch or dinner gatherings, as well as many special occasions, thanks to its pre-prepared menus.

Canton Seafood is still ringing in 2013, with many of its traditional New Year’s must-haves. Manager Helen He says Jai and fresh fish are necessities during the beginning of the year.

“Jai is known as vegetarian monk’s food, and enhances longevity and helps to purify and cleanse the body,” she says.

Fried Flounder with Seasoning Herbs ($9.99)

Jai is priced at $9.99, and in a bowl filled with rice noodles with a soy sauce base, you’ll also find an assortment of vegetables such as mushrooms, black fungus, green beans, broccoli, water chestnuts, carrots, bamboo shoots, snow peas and won bok.

“We serve Jai year round, but it’s always very popular during the new year,” He shares. “Also, fish represents good luck and an abundance of money with enough for the years to come.”

To pay homage to this belief, Canton Seafood offers a Fried Flounder with Seasoning Herbs special for $9.99. The whole flounder is flavored with a homemade fish sauce, and garnished with basil, green onion and red and green peppers. Deep Fried Flounder with Garlic ($17.99) is another fish favorite, presenting patrons with a de-boned fish seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic. Others may opt for Fresh Uhu Steamed with Ginger and Green Onion ($18.99 per pound).

Canton Seafood Restaurant

923 Keeaumoku St., Honolulu
955.3388
Open daily, 10 a.m.-midnight