Danville has a new upscale Chinese restaurant, Donhao

Danville has a new restaurant offering health-conscious Chinese cuisine with recipes inspired by meals from the the owner’s childhood in China. It’s off to a great start, too.

“I’ve been in restaurants for 15 years,” says general manager Ryan Best, “and I’ve never had the amount of good feedback that we’ve had in the first six weeks.

In addition to the new Donhao, Tan and Best also run the Japanese restaurant across the street, Aozora. At Donhao, the focus is on health-conscious, modern Chinese cuisine made with free-range chicken, for example, and American-style wagyu, alongside some of owner Carol Tan’s favorites.

“We’re trying to present Chinese food in a healthy manner rather than like a guilty pleasure,” Best says.

The fried rice is made without soy sauce, and the restaurant doesn’t use MSG, Best says. Additional menu items include pan-fried pork dumplings ($14), sole ($25) topped with a sweet glaze and pine nuts, New Zealand lamb ($29) seasoned with cumin and several lunch bento options ($18-$22).

Details: Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday-Sunday at 416 Sycamore Valley Road, Danville; donhaodanville.com.