Remarks: Chopstix

There are two rules I adhere to for picking a restaurant that serves cultural cuisine: first, is it actually run by people of that culture, and two, are there people of that culture dining there? I have walked into a Mongolian barbecue run by Mexicans, an Italian place run by Koreans, and an Indian place run by Greeks. All of these because I’d gotten rave reviews from white people about how good the food was. I’m not saying any of those places were bad, but they weren’t as good as restaurants operated by people who grew up eating that style of food.

Chopstix was recommended to me by a friend who is Chinese. She’s also very selective about her Chinese food. A first-generation American, her parents having grown up in China and emigrating here as adults, she grew up eating authentic stuff. If she says a place is good, it’s going to be spectacular by my own modest standards. This place is the real deal.

My friend was always raving about the Crispy Tofu, so that was the first thing I tried. Now, I order it every time I go. It’s basically spicy tofu cut into chunks and deep fried. Crispy and golden on the outside, soft and warm on the inside. It’s not too spicy, but as my wife Katie says, it’s hot enough to give you the head sweats. The other thing I always order is the Red Bean Buns. If you’ve never had this appetizer, it’s just steamed buns with red bean paste inside, warm and sweet. Katie and I always order something else as well, to try out different appetizers and entrees, splitting them (seriously, I need me Crispy Tofu fix!). After several trips everything has been excellent, including all of their soups, beef, chicken, and seafood dishes. All of it is reminiscent of the Chinese I’d eaten on the East and West coast, rather than the “meh” stuff I’ve settled for in the Southwest for the past 20 years. Yes, I just said this was the best Chinese food I’ve had in 20 years, barring trips to New York and California.

The place is smallish, and in a strip mall. We’ve found it best to go during the week, or early on the weekend, as they tend to get packed on Friday and Saturday nights. It’s relatively cheap (two entrees, two appetizers, and drinks run around $30 or less) and we always have leftovers to take home.

Visit their website at ChopstixABQ.com