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Taste the Splendor of Canton’s Fresh, Flavorful Cuisine

Features Inside Feature

May 19, 2013

Story By: Kyle Galdeira | Photos by: Nathalie Walker

With more than 180 menu items to choose from and a clean, warm atmosphere inviting guests to dine in comfort, Canton Seafood Restaurant sets the tone for a flavorful experience.

After initially opening in Chinatown nine years ago, the restaurant currently resides at 923 Keeaumoku St. Manager Peng Gong explains that the Cantonese cuisine emanates from the southern region of China, and features healthy preparation techniques coupled with fresh ingredients.

Gong credits executive chef Sou Keung Wong with designing and executing the flavorful menu selections available at Canton Seafood Restaurant. The skilled chef has honed his craft for nearly 30 years since starting as a kitchen helper at Dynasty Chinese Restaurant in Waikiki. Gong lauds Wong for creating a good sense of teamwork within the staff while also emphasizing quality control to make sure each guest enjoys a tasty meal time and time again.

“He brings authentic, healthy items to our menu, and uses less oil and salt in the preparation,” says Gong, when describing Wong’s extensive experience in the field. “He’s very concerned with the continuity and quality of our food to ensure freshness in the various meats and vegetables.”

In addition to the wide array of favorites included on the standard menu, Canton Seafood Restaurant also features a bounty of lunch and late-night specials available daily from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and again from 9 p.m. to closing. With lunch and late-night specials ranging from $5.99 to $7.99, the eatery is poised to satisfy diners with wide-ranging tastes and budgets. To sweeten the deal, lunch specials also include rice and soup.

Shrimp with Egg Chow Funn ($7.99) is just one of more than nearly 40 specially priced dishes, and includes a bed of rice noodles topped with shrimp, peas and a light egg sauce that ties all the flavors together.

“The specials are very reasonably priced, and other restaurants can’t compete when compared to the quality we offer as well,” Gong says.

Canton Seafood Restaurant also offers a couple of additional ongoing specials for diners to take advantage of. House Crispy Chicken is available in a half-order for just $4.99, a huge savings compared to the regular price of $12.99. Fried Flounder with Seasoning Herbs also is available all day for $9.99, a great deal compared to the regular price of $15.99.

Deep Fried Flounder ($17.99) serves as another popular seafood creation, as the chef carefully removes the tender meat, prepares it in a zesty garlic sauce and serves the succulent morsels, so diners don’t need to wrangle with bones or other parts of the fish. The dish is perfect for young children or elderly diners who may struggle with cutting meat off a whole fish.

Steamed Fresh Whole Fish ($18.99) is another popular selection, and Canton Seafood has recently utilized uhu, a fish that yields tender, white meat that soaks up all the rich flavors included in the accompanying sauce.

Gong explains that a full vegetarian menu is available for those with lighter options in mind. The extensive menu includes Law Hon Jai ($7.99), a mixture of vegetables including mushrooms and carrots coupled with long rice and tofu in a savory sauce.

Just in time for graduation season, Canton Seafood has diners and their families covered when it comes to cooking for large parties. Whether celebrating a birthday or other special occasion, the restaurant offers multiple packages that are designed to serve 10 to 12 people while taking the stress and hassle out of ordering. For just $188, groups can enjoy Seafood with Fish Maw Soup, Peking Duck (whole), Live Lobster with Ginger and Onion (two orders), Shrimp Walnuts with Mayonnaise, Tenderloin Steak, Crispy Garlic Chicken (whole), Chinese Broccoli with Dried Fish, Fried Rice “Young Chow Style” and a Dessert of the Day.

For those interested in more seafood selections, a $238 menu also is available and includes many of the aforementioned choices, as well as Live Crab with Crispy Garlic (two), Sauteed Mixed Seafood with Broccoli and Steamed Fresh Whole Fish with Ginger and Green Onions.

Diners are encouraged to keep an eye out for another stellar dining opportunity as the management team at Canton Seafood Restaurant will soon open Canton Dim Sum in Kaimuki’s Market City Shopping Center. Gong also hints that some of the new dim sum creations may find their way onto the menu at Canton Seafood, as well.

Guests at Canton Seafood Restaurant are treated to free parking behind the eatery, and also may park in the Maui Diver’s lot adjacent to the restaurant anytime after 5:30 p.m. Reservations are recommended for larger parties to ensure table space is available.

Canton Seafood Restaurant

923 Keeaumoku St.
955-3388
Open daily, 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Honolulu, HI 96814

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