Chop Chop

Chop Chop Leith sits on Commercial Quay next to The Kitchin. With a first glance at the shiny red tables and melamine plates, you could perhaps be forgiven for thinking that this is an odd pairing; but in three months Chop Chop has easily proved itself worthy of its Michelin-starred neighbour.

The simple, canteen-style decor is in fact a careful choice. It mirrors the unobtrusive style of its older partner in the Haymarket – an Edinburgh institution for several years now – but is slightly sleeker and more polished. The ethos behind Chop Chop is what many might think of as tapas-style: a variety of small dishes are brought to your table, to share, as they are ready: aubergines pan-fried with fresh garlic and Chinese spices (my personal favourite), hot and sour soup, crispy shredded potato.

Larger dishes are available for sharing too: the crispy northern lamb (or chicken/pork) is hot and sweet with good, tender meat, and the peanut and mustard sauce noodles are wonderfully rich, if a bit incongruous alongside the other, lighter, dishes. Then of course, there are their celebrated dumplings. These are of course delicious and come in a range of meat, fish and veggie flavours. They highlight that Chop Chop is most of all a fun restaurant: the dumplings would be worth it for the joy of creating your own dipping sauce alone and, if your stomach can cope, their sugar string desserts (available in apple, sweet potato or pancakes) are also a source of delight as you send strands of sugar flying across your table.

With a plentiful variety of quality food, including great veggie and vegan options, the tale of Chop Chop's brilliance will hold true for many years to come. [Lizzie Cass-Maran]