An extra helping of New Year’s good luck

In celebration of Chinese New Year Feb. 19, Canton Seafood Restaurant is offering special deals on some of its most popular dishes throughout the month.

Jai (on special for $9.99, regular price $11.99) is among the many traditional dishes enjoyed on Chinese New Year. This vegetarian dish is full of symbolic good-luck ingredients such as long rice noodles for longevity and long life. There also are mushroom, fungus, bamboo shoot, broccoli, snowpea, Chinese cabbage, carrot and tofu.

The Chinese also like to eat fish on New Year’s Day because the pronunciation of “fish” is the same for “extra”, so they believe eating fish will bring a surplus of wealth or leftover money. It’s also important for the fish to be served whole with the head and tail intact, representing a good beginning and end for the New Year. At Canton Seafood, manager He Gong recommends Fried Flounder with Lemon Grass (on special for $9.99, regular $15.99), which features a nice, crispy exterior, and moist and tender meat inside. It’s also pan-fried versus deep-fried, so it’s not oily.

Canton Seafood also is known for its live seafood. Steamed Lobster (on special for $11.99, regular $19.99) is a top-seller, and patrons may select from ginger and green onion, salt and pepper, black bean sauce and butter garlic as seasonings.

The restaurant’s Canton Crispy Chicken (on special for $4.99 half chicken, regular price $12.99) is another hit. “We serve Hong Kong-style, Cantonese and Northern Chinese food,” says Gong. “Our chef is from Canton, and he doesn’t combine his style of cooking with other styles of cooking. That’s why Chinese people love our restaurant because they say it’s almost the same as it is in China. He also is well-known in Hawaii because he was the chef at Dynasty Restaurant and other local Chinese restaurants.

“He concentrates on quality ingredients, purchasing only what is fresh. And he uses less oil and less salt, so it’s healthier.”

Special prices are good through the end of February, and are offered with a purchase of one regular priced entree starting at $7.99. Or pay regular price and receive 10 percent off.

Canton Seafood opened in 2011 at 923 Keeaumoku St., but previously was located on Maunakea Street in Chinatown under the name Glowing Dragon Seafood Restaurant for eight years before its lease expired.

The new restaurant features a large dining room, and is great for parties (party menus start at $188 per table, serving 10 to 12 people). Free parking is available at the restaurant or in the neighboring Maui Divers Jewelry lot after 5:30 p.m.

Wishing you a Happy Chinese New Year filled with good food, bringing you good luck, health and prosperity.

Canton Seafood Restaurant

923 Keeaumoku St.
955-3388
10 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily