Cannon Chinese Kitchen

Reviews 5

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Ron Clarkson

I spent the better part of my life working for an amazing Taiwanese company and during that time I made many trips there, and even lived there for a while. Taipei is one of my favorite places on Earth and Im lucky that my family got to experience it with me. The downside? You quickly realize that 99% of all "Chinese" food in America is a farce, a fabrication, a lie. Its all cheaply made with cheat flavors - too much salt, too much sweet. Real Chinese food is simple, but the flavors are amazing they way they are combined. So when my family and I get the urge for Chinese food these days, we end up going for Vietnamese food, because at least those restaurants havent sold out to the American palate. So imagine my surprise when I stumbled onto Cannon Chinese Kitchen, just 30 minutes from our home in Granbury, Texas, where my wife and I run one of the largest real estate teams in Hood County (Clarkson Premier Team at Keller Williams). The photos online immediately recalled my earliest memories of Uchi Austin, before it became a global phenomenon. Built in an old house, decorated with a modern flair, topped off with eclectic wall paper (see my photo). You feel like youre in someones home from the moment you enter. The cocktails we had were balanced and made with love - the Effen Bob Barker and the Lychee Martini. The food plates are served what can only be described as tapas-style: very small and meant for sharing with friends and family. Im not kidding when I say that everything we ordered was very authentic in flavors and execution - but there was always just a touch of Fort Worth, which is hard to describe. For example, the Bao was filled with pork that had Chinese flavors, but the texture reminded me more of Texas BBQ. The spring rolls are packed with tons of flavor, unlike the soulless garbage you get at other Chinese "restaurants". Finally, the Taiwanese chicken... this took me back to Taipei. I literally closed my eyes and the night markets, the street vendors, the friendly people eager to share their culture - it all came back to me. I just found a new favorite Chinese restaurant in all of North Texas. The only complaint I have? Theyre not open for Christmas Eve... :(

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Marco Ausich

EXTREMELY BAD EXPERIENCE. I came in to order at 6:48 for takeout. Got my meal at 7.52. The food was amongst the worst Ive had in the area both in terms of Asian/Pan Asian and food in general. Though Im an American I dont expect huge portions, in fact I prefer smaller portions with a variety of flavors. But the portions at this place seemed meek even for me. Initially I thought the prices not bad at all... after seeing the portion sizes I understand why. And to top it off the dinner entrees were sold as something youd share/family style, right on the menu. The Dishes were terrible. Ive been a very dedicated home cook for about 20 years and my palate is accustom to unique flavors and new experiences, I actually enjoy them. And while the atmospheres of this restaurant was actually quite nice. The food was a disaster. Stir Fry Mung Bean Sprouts... Tasted like melted plastic Duck Stir Fry - Not a disaster but - Duck was extremely dry Veg Stir Fry - (by the way for the last 20 minutes of my wait they were telling me they were just making the veg stir fry) Disaster... Again melted plastic taste and bad aroma. Barely palatable. Kung Pao Chicken - this was actually pretty decent. Did have a unique enjoyable flavor. but had almost no heat... which is unusual for Kung Pao. Beef Broccoli type dish - Again meat very dry... veg destroyed with overcook ... hint of melted plastic taste though admittedly it could have been left over from the veg Stir Fry and Stir Fry Bean Sprouts. Chicken and Leak Pot stickers - Actually these were really good in and of themselves. However the red chili sauce and Pot Sticker sauce were both extremely bland with no heat and no flavor. While the quaint atmosphere and neighborhood setting give this place a nice charm... the service has you lost in frustration and the food leaves you feeling ruined. Panda Express blows this place away unfortunately and is a much better choice and cost a ton less than this place. Do yourself a favor... find an alternative. Youll be happy you did

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Sheila Thomas

I have been looking for a long time for a good Chinese restaurant to eat at and I may have just found it. I went on a Wednesday afternoon with my sister and the place wasnt that busy. We were seated promptly at a table and given our menus to look over. Our waiter was very informative and did an excellent job with explaining the favorite food items on the menu and letting us know that all the veggies and fruits, stocks, and soups were made fresh in house. My sister and I shared several items from the menu and each was as good as the next. If you dont want anything too heavy, I would recommend the snapper over jasmine rice with a side of cucumber salad and pork dumplings. My sister got the beef dumplings, the kung pao chicken and leek and sausage fried rice that looks not like your typical Chinese fried rice, with these big chunks of sausagr pieces and freshly chopped green onion in it. For an appetizer we split the mushrooms wrapped in soy paper with a truffle oil. It was amazing! And as a last minute decision we shared the duck and noodle dish, which was over the top in flavor and texture. I liked how our waiter explained that the duck came in three cooking styled over noodles and cooked in different sequences starting from the bottom duck pieces were chopped up and cooked on low heat and were a duck confit, followed by the middle pieces that were strips of duck and the top being deep fried duck skin which had a light and crispy taste. The last bit of the meal was followed by the panacotta dessert that the waiter brought out to us, which had a nice creamy texture and floral taste. Overall experience: amazingly good.

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Damon Doran

The location is fun with seating inside or outside. The Service is spectacular. The food, well let me tell you about the delicious food. If you make reservations ask for Chelsea to be your server as her advice, descriptions, and table service is out-of-this world. We started with the HERITAGE PORK & SHRIMP SPRING ROLLS, which we an absolute taste sensation. We followed that with the NINE-LAYER SCALLION PANCAKE which after taking your initial bites can be used throughout your meal to soak up and enjoy all the other dishes sauces. Next we tried the SWEET & SOUR HERITAGE PORK RIBS which were delicious and fell off the bone. For our final dish we choose the MAPLE LEAF DUCK STIR-FRY. This dish alone with a bowl of the Jasmine Rice would make a great dinner for 2. Well then, you might be thinking why did you order all that other food. Ill tell you, this FANTASTIC restaurant has tapas style servings. Just the right amount to share with another person. It allows you to experience multiple dishes and tastes without feeling stuffed. To finish off our desert of choice was the CHRYSANTHEMUM PANNA COTTA, you have to have this, youll thank me later.

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Kristina Reilly

First time, had no idea what to expect and decided to go on a Friday night. As we drove up, I noticed a lot of cars, but was too busy falling in lust with the adorable house that would be Cannons, to mind much. There was a 15 minute wait so we decided to wait at the bar. We spotted 2 vacant seats, sat down and found out we could eat there, which we opted to do. Even though they were busy, we were acknowledged right away, given a menu and a brief rundown on the nature of Cannon’s. Every staff person we encountered was friendly and professional. The food was deliciously fresh and a standout in the way of unique choices and flavor… Just another good reason to visit Southside

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