Tasty Dim Sum and Then Some

Canton Seafood Restaurant began serving diners two years ago at its Keeaumoku Street location and the eatery quickly became a popular place for authentic Chinese food. Then about a month ago, a second restaurant, Canton Dim Sum, opened at the Market City Shopping Center, featuring a selection of signature dishes from Canton Seafood, as well as a nice assortment of dim sum, and the eatery appears destined to become another preferred destination among Chinese food lovers.

And while dim sum is traditionally served through mid-afternoon, Canton Dim Sum offers it from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. On the dim sum menu are many local favorites, such as Pork Hash, Half Moon, Chives Dumpling, Crispy Won Ton, Potsticker, Deep-Fried Meat Dumpling and Fish Cake with Corn (all priced at $2.38, three pieces). You also can choose Shrimp Dumpling, Steamed Char Siu Bun (Hong Kong style), Crispy Gau Gee, Golden Egg Custard Tart, Deep-Fried Taro Dumpling or Fried Sesame Ball with Red Bean/Coconut (all priced at $2.98, three pieces), as well as Chicken Mochi Rice in Lotus Leaf ($2.98, two pieces).

There also are Steamed Char Siu Manapua, Steamed Vegetable and Meat Bun, Baked Hot Dog Bun, Baked Char Siu Manapua, Baked Egg Custard Bun, Baked Honey Barbecue Pork Roll and Malaysian Steamed Sponge Cake ($1.29 each). In addition to dim sum, customers can also enjoy a variety of lunch and dinner plates, house specials, noodle and chow funn dishes, and noodle or rice in soup.

While executive chef Sou Keung Wong oversees both restaurants, Canton Dim Sum is designed as more of a fast-food, take-out and catering eatery, while Canton Seafood is a nice, casual dine-in restaurant with a full bar perfect for parties, business lunches or dinner with the family.

“When Chinese people eat here, they say it’s almost the same as in China,” says Canton Seafood manager Peng Gong. “That’s why so many Chinese people come here. Our executive chef is from Canton, China and has more than 28 years of experience in Hawaii including at the old Dynasty Restaurant. And our dim sum chef has more than 20 years of experience as a dim sum chef.”

Canton Seafood offers an extensive menu that you would typically find at a Chinese restaurant. The food is primarily prepared Hong Kong-style, and seafood is what they’re known for most, including Live Crab and Lobster (prepared with ginger and onion or salt and pepper), Steamed Fresh Whole Fish, Shrimp Walnuts with Mayonnaise, Steamed Prawn with Garlic and Look Funn, Clams with Black Bean Sauce, Deep Fried Oyster and more.

Among the customer favorites are the Deep Fried Flounder (on special for $9.99 with purchase of a regular priced entree through the end of October, regularly $15.99), and the Crispy Gau Gee Mein (on special for $6.99, regularly $7.99) which is a noodle dish made with shrimp, pork, char siu, won bok, broccoli, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, carrots, water chestnut, four pieces of crispy gau gee and an original house oyster gravy sauce. The Crispy Fried Chicken also is on special ($4.99 with purchase of one regular-priced entree through the end of October, regular price is $12.99).

Canton Seafood also offers lunch specials from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and late-night specials from 9 p.m. to midnight. The restaurant can seat 130 people, and set party seafood menus are available starting at $188 (feeds 10 to 12 people). Currently, there’s no dim sum at Canton Seafood, but there are plans to add it in the near future.

Canton Seafood Restaurant

923 Keeaumoku St., Honolulu
955-3388
Daily, 10 a.m.-midnight

Canton Dim Sum

2919 Kapiolani Blvd. (Market City Shopping Center)
735-1688
Daily, 7 a.m.-9 p.m.