Chop Chop

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• What are these?

• Average price 2 courses:
   £9 (lunch)
   £9 (evening meal)
• House wine: £9.85 per bottle
• BYOB: £5 corkage

• Hitlisted
• High point: Authentic, fresh fare at attractive prices
• Low point: Three small dishes might not satisfy those with bigger appetites
• Food served: Mon-Sun 11.30am-11pm
• Private dining: N/A
• Open since: 2006
• Also offers: Childrens portions, Childrens high chairs, Wheelchair access, Take away

The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 is now in the shops.

This review is from the 2007 edition.

It's impossible to miss Chop Chop's bright yellow and red façade, and the décor inside is equally vibrant. The practical tables, paper napkins and simple Chinese art are subtle hints that perhaps the food is this venue's major draw. Guidance notes on the inside cover of the menu suggest that three small dishes should suffice - but choosing only three from a packed list is a far from straightforward task. Chef/owner Jian Wang's last trip to her homeland in northern China inspired a reworked menu, and among the new dishes is her glass noodle salad, a delicious combination served cold. Jian also operates a dumpling factory in Edinburgh, and it is impossible to neglect her speciality, which comes either fried or boiled. Beef with green peppers or pork with celery are both fresh and finely balanced, and the flavours spring to life when dipped into the sauce that diners create to taste. Wang serves the dishes when they are ready rather than in any particular order, adding to a distinctive, value-for-money dining experience that explains why Chop Chop has already acquired a loyal following in the short time it has been open.