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Hung Won and its delicious secrets

Columns Foodie Fare

April 27, 2015

Story By: Christina O Connor | Photos by: Lawrence Tabudlo

The menu at Hung Won Seafood Restaurant is impressive: It’s stocked with nearly 140 items that incorporate beef, seafood, chicken and tofu. Plus, there’s also a selection of rice and noodle dishes that are crucial to any Chinese eatery.

If that doesn’t sound familiar, there’s a good reason for that: Hung Won has been around for years, but as of last year, it’s under new ownership. The change at the top has resulted in a switch from local-style Chi-nese food to more authentic Cantonese-style cuisine.

“We have moved more toward lighter seasoning, less oil, but keep it a little bit local flavor, too,” explains co-owner and general manager Kevin Li.

HuNan Style Lamb ($12.95)

HuNan Style Lamb ($12.95)

One dish that has been drawing customers in droves is HuNan Style Lamb ($12.95).

“It is basically a lamb fillet that is stir-fried with fresh leek and a bit of pepper and black bean,” Li says, adding that the dish has a little kick to it. “HuNan is a province in China that is known for the spicy stuff, so this is a style that they make in that area.”

Hung Won’s menu already is extensive, but it’s got some secret, off-the-menu dishes, too. Li was nice enough to share a cou ple of these off-the-menu finds with Dining Out. For example, there’s Chicken with White Sauce ($11.95), which features half a chicken chopped up with bok choy and accented with a homemade white broth.

“People started asking for it, so we started making it,” Li explains.

Abalone and Black Mushroom ($13.95)

Abalone and Black Mushroom ($13.95)

Another dish that’s not on the menu is Abalone and Black Mushroom ($13.95), which features an abalone fillet and oyster sauce.

“The restaurant is gaining in popularity,” Li says. “People come try it, and then come back again and again.”

Hung Won Seafood Restaurant

W H E R E
3434 Waialae Ave., Honolulu

C A L L
732-6322

H O U R S
Daily, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

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