What to Order | Danwei Canting

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

If anyone ever writes a biography about me I sincerely hope it is cleverly structured around ordering. I really consider it one of my greatest strengths -- knowing how ingredients go together, accommodating everyone's needs, and having a true appreciation for (quality) fried food. 

Last week I was able to check out Danwei Canting's brand new happy hour and meet with owner James Kyle and chef Kyo Koo. 

I was really engaged by James' passion for the cuisine and his journey to open Danwei. After more than a decade of working in China and becoming fully immersed in the culture and making it home, he returned to Oregon. If you get a chance, be sure to chat with him and learn the history of different street foods, just how you go about importing the OG orange soda, and how he and Chef Koo studied and adjusted each and every dish on the menu. Seriously, find out about the burger buns!

Beibingyang aka the ORIGINAL Orange Soda!!! I don't even drink soda pop and I GULPED this down! It is so refreshing and not overly sweet. Be sure to ask the staff the story behind this one.

Want something stronger? The green tea cocktail is refreshing and dangerously delicious. Drink responsibly, as this will be a summer favorite.

 The Beijing Peanuts are crispy with a surprisingly light sauce. I was worried these would be super salty, but the balance was superb.

 Crispy tofu! Crispy tofu! Crispy tofu! The sauce was delightfully spicy and the tofu maintained a non-greasy crunch for at least one hours. What?! There was a lot of food and it took us awhile to eat.

The lamb burger is super craveable and has such a complex seasoning story. Also, if lamb is on the menu and it is good, GET IT!

I'm about to make a wildly bold statement: This is one of the best fried chickens in Portland! (I rank it right after Mae and Real M Inn) Again, the seasoning or marinade is so interesting and the crunch is what every southern grandmother dreams of. It wasn't greasy and really held up for the evening of eating.

Danwei Canting

803 SE Stark

Sunday-Thursday11:30am-9pm

Friday + Saturday 11:30am-10pm