Photograph by Skye Dunlap

Tom Chou displays a serving of Canton Delights' tasty dim sum.

Favorite offers tasty fare

By DIANNA WOODS

There is a striking difference between the outside and inside of Canton Delights. From outside the building looks like an average, mass-produced parking lot restaurant. The inside is a different story, though. Customers are greeted by a tank full of exotic-looking underwater creatures, dark woods, muted lighting and a few delicate Chinese prints hanging on the otherwise spare walls. But why the contrast between inside and out?

"This building used to be a Sizzler," owner and manager Simon Leong explains. "Basically, when we moved in six years ago, we tore down everything but the outside walls." The end result was a restaurant people felt comfortable enough with to bring them back week after week, year after year. "I've made a lot of friends working here." Leong says. "I probably know the names of at least half of my customers."

The peaceful and friendly surroundings aren't the only thing that bring customers back, though. The dim sum lunches and extensive menu have done their part, too.

Dim sum, a meal's worth of finger foods, is served here daily. The enormous selection includes steamed spare ribs, fried shrimp dumplings, pot stickers and, for those who don't mind committing a deadly sin, fried glutinous rice dumplings. When dim sum won't do, there's also the weekday lunch menu to choose from.

Though Canton Delights is perhaps best known for its seafood selection (depending on the season, customers can choose Dungeness crab, Alaskan lobster and more selections fresh from the tank), the menu at Canton Delights includes classic Chinese favorites. Menu standards include Kung Pao chicken ($8), Mongolian beef ($9), Szechwan shrimp ($10) and sautéed Chinese broccoli ($8.50). Meals are enjoyed most when a variety of dishes are ordered and everyone at the table shares.

Also on the menu are noodle dishes, several different fried rice options and meals cooked in clay pots. Vegetarians will have no problem finding something to fit their mood, with choices like Buddha's delights with fried tofu ($9), mustard greens ($9), or for the more adventurous, vegetables sautéed in supreme chili sauce ($8).

The wine list, composed mainly of California wines, ranges in price from $19 to $58. A variety of beers are also available.

Leong, who came to the United States 20 years ago to study computer engineering at University of Southern California, founded Canton Delights. "I worked in high-tech jobs for a while, but wanted to go into business for myself." He didn't get too far from the high-tech world, though. Apple, Sun Microsystems and IBM all have buildings only a few blocks away, and actually provide the majority of the lunch crowd.

Cupertino residents dominate the restaurants weekend crowd. "Because so many people come back on a regular basis," Leong says, "I've actually watched children grow up over the years."

Canton Delights is likely to provide whatever the customer desires, for business or pleasure, dim sum or fresh crabs, or just a pleasant place to sit and chat.

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Canton Delights, 10125 Bandley Drive, Cupertino. Open for lunch Monday to Friday, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Open for dinner Sunday to Friday, 5:30-9:30 p.m., and Saturday, 5-10 p.m. 408.777.9888.

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