Chopsticks

Lebanon is home to a great number of different dishes from all over the world. Its local popular foods excels in many ways. From the internationally renowned hummus and falafel dishes to the lesser known kafta and kibbeh. However, today we will take a look at a cuisine born farther to the east than the Middle East. I will be introducing to you the best chinese chain restaurant you could possibly enjoy: Chopsticks.

As a kid, my parents would take my sibling and I to different new restaurants. However, by far our favourite and most often visited restaurant is Chopsticks. There are many amazing elements to it which make it so enjoyable, nostalgia aside. Getting to one of the chains is not too difficult as they are usually located in very central areas in the city they’re in. We’ll talk about my favourite one in Hamra.

(Source:https://www.roundmenu.com/photos/chopsticks-hamra-hamra-beirut/social-photos/892906)

The ride would usually take about twenty minutes by car. Parking at the venue is always a nightmare due to how busy it is. Once you park and make your way to the entrance, you will notice the beautifully designed exterior. It's like going back a few hundred years in Chinese history. The Chinese architecture showcases a wooden arch encompassing the entrance. The surrounding area is also made of dark brown wood. The front garden is covered in different types of bushes and trees. It feels as if you were entering a forest filled with bamboo and other greenery.

On top of the arch you will see the large signature Chopsticks sign with the O enlarged  as it contains two different Mandarin symbols.

The exterior continues with this design. However, Chopsticks isn’t designed to a 100% authentic Chinese restaurant. They added a contemporary spin to it. The inside is a combination of different designs from modern to traditional Chinese. The walls were covered in different banners of Chinese symbols including all the different horoscope animals. Each year they would allow the current Year of the animal to dominate a larger part of the wall. I’ve noticed this as we have been going to this chain for the past several years.

In the centre, the restaurant has a massive round table fit for over a dozen people. This table is located near a large fish tank built into the wall. The tables themselves are laid out with all the necessary cutlery along with a pair of chopsticks and a bamboo mat beneath every plate. Upon entering and seating yourself, you will be sat down by any Chinese waiter that is available. Upon being given your menu you will also be provided with complimentary fizzy drinks in shot glasses. They were always changing the flavours and I could never figure out what they were made of. I definitely didn’t taste it in any other type of carbonated drink.

These are alcohol free so they’re safe to drink for children. They would usually offer flavours such as strawberry, lime and lemon. The lime is the best in my opinion.

One you sit down, you will be offered with all the different dishes. You may be overwhelmed by the amount of choices. You could choose if you want your meal sizzling, fried, steamed or grilled. If you’re looking towards appetizers, they have many great options to choose from. This would include spring rolls, duck rolls, fried shrimp, spicy shrimp,  Wonton and more.

(Source: https://twitter.com/chopsticksleb/status/683938143607721984)

They offer many types of rises such as vegetable rice, chicken fried rice, shrimp fried rice and many more options. I would highly recommend the chicken fried rice. That option is never missed whenever my family and I decide to dine here.

For your mains, you have different types of dishes to choose from. As to how they are prepared (fried, steamed etc) and what type of meats or vegetables. They offer some very high quality duck that would melt in your mouth. The beef is very juicy and a great option, especially when it's sizzling. However, my all time favourite easily goes to the chicken and almonds sizzling dish. This divine option offers both ingredients in the name with vegetables added into the mix.

(Source: https://www.zomato.com/beirut/chopsticks-hamra/photos)

This option goes well with their large spring rolls. Sweet and sour sauce is always a great additive with the rice and spring rolls as they serve a homemade concoction rather than the oversugared supermarket variety. If you’re looking for a drink, they offer imported beers to add a new experience to your palette. However, my family and I usually stuck to the exotic fruit juice option.

Their noodles are also very good. I often tried the chicken noodles or the braised noodles with black mushroom. I enjoy mushrooms, even when I was a kid. This dish would hit that sweet spot. If you’re looking for something light to eat, try out one of their many soups. The clam soup is particularly good. However, my favourite one is the hot and sour chicken soup. I recall that one of the soups I had always wanted to try one specific soup but never had the opportunity. So if you’re curious, try out the Three Treasures soup. Its a combination of chicken and seafood.

Also, feel free to try out the combo menus. They offer a good variety of dishes for a decent price.However, I would usually pick this as a last resort if I were you as there are many amazing dish combinations you should experiment with.

Lastly, the frosting on the cake, their dessert menu. Chopsticks provides many contemporary desserts such as very thick chocolate and cream cakes, Cheesecakes, banana fritters and more. My family and I would always order the ice-cream options. The vanilla and strawberry flavours are the most flavoursome desserts that we tried. The ice cream is particularly rich with favour. Crunchy ice-cream is also a good option. Feel free to experiment.

(Source:https://www.roundmenu.com/photos/chopsticks-dubai-mall-dubai-mall-dubai/social-photos/1757)

Sometimes it isn’t easy enjoying good Chinese food as there are so many different types that do not deliver on their exotic taste. However, Chopsticks is sure to change that. If you feel a craving for Asian food, look no further.

Best part is it's delivery option. In its humble beginnings the chain was a dine-in restaurant before it expanded. Now it covers all of Beirut and a bit further beyond. Enjoy the flavours of this restaurant and indulge yourself to authentic tasting Chinese cuisine.