Golden Palace Seafood Restaurant

Take a look at this week’s house special: Fukin Tofu ($7.95)

With its low prices and constant presence in the community for more than a decade, Golden Palace Seafood Restaurant is a legend in Hawaii’s dining scene. Located in the heart of Chinatown on North King Street, the restaurant has garnered a reputation, receiving high praises for its tasty dim sum and Cantonese-style dishes that are perfect for sharing among ohana. This family-run restaurant offers all of your favorites, and general manager Gary Lam wants patrons to try a hidden gem on the menu. Enter Fukin Tofu.

Soft tofu is left to steam for five minutes in lotus leaf. The short time period ensures that the tofu retains its form and firmness.

Fukin Tofu is a traditional Cantonese-style dish with a texture similar to Mapo Tofu, with a lighter taste. It’s a commodity in Hawaii, but a staple in China. Lam also confirms that Golden Palace serves a fabulous Fukin Fried Rice.

A pork-based broth is doused over the tofu, saturating it with loads of flavor thanks to pieces of diced chicken, dried scallops, fresh scallops, shrimp, shiitake mushrooms and choy sum mixed with the gravy. A splash of white wine and a sprinkle of pepper round out the dish.

“This dish is named after Fukin, a place with a very small population in the province of Heilongjiang, China,” Lam explains.

“Don’t be taken back by its name,” Lam says with a laugh. “It’s always good to take chances and try different things on the menu — don’t stick to the usual.”

Golden Palace Seafood Restaurant
111 N. King St., Honolulu
521-8268
7 a.m.-10 p.m. daily (Dim sum starts at 7 a.m. daily)