Welcoming a new year of prosperity

It’s wintertime here in the Islands, which calls for scarves, shivering and cozying up to aromatic, well-spiced Chinese food. Canton Seafood Restaurant’s Four Seasons Shabu Shabu ($49.99) is one heart warming dish to revel in. Even better for beating the blues, it’s meant to be shared among friends (the one pictured, feeds 2-3 people). Long-simmered pork and chicken bones yield a delightfully clear, fresh broth that’s heated tableside over a gas burner. A cornucopia of ingredients, including clam, squid, beef, spinach and shrimp, are served raw and meant to be cooked in the broth to your desire. Afterwards, the broth — now infused with the flavor and nutrients of seafood and vegetables — is the final treat. Seafood shabu shabu only is a small part of Canton Seafood’s repertoire of traditional, delectable offerings.

The Keeaumoku Street restaurant serves up authentic, affordable Hong Kong-style dishes as well, which are sure to please native Chinese palates and Chinese food lovers in general. While Honolulu is chock-full of Chinese restaurants, Canton Seafood’s preservation of heritage recipes and its adherence to cultural detail set it apart. Chicken with Satay Sizzling Platter ($13.99) is served in traditional Cantonese sauce. The restaurant also offers alternative recipes to suit local tastes such as the brand new special Fried Chicken Leg in Noodle Soup ($6.99), a spin-off of the customary roast duck version of the soup, which also is offered on the menu.

With 2015 in full swing, Canton Seafood’s manager Gong He highlights Whole Fried Flounder with Lemongrass as a delicious choice to usher prosperity into the new year. He explains that eating fish during the beginning of the year ensures abundance to come. And there’s sure to be leftover abundance in your pockets, as the restaurant’s budget-friendly specials make dining out affordable. Current specials include a whole lobster for $11.99 with the purchase of an entree. Whether eating as a holiday hangover cure, an antidote against the chill or a plea for prosperity this new year, there are plenty of reasons to dine at Canton Seafood.

Canton Seafood Restaurant

923 Keeaumoku St., Honolulu
955-3388
Daily, 10 a.m.-11 p.m.