RESTAURANT REVIEW : At the New Chopstix, They ‘Win Sum, Dim Sum’

Chopstix, that Far-Eastern, all-Californian cafe on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood has been cloned, and the new manifestation can be found on the upper level of a mini-mall on Ventura Boulevard, just west of Van Nuys Boulevard.

Open for only two months, the new Chopstix has already attracted a crowd that most new restaurateurs would die for, and for good reasons: This “dim sum cafe” is fashionable, friendly, fun, funny and nothing fancy. It’s a trendy, streamlined, high-tech fast-food joint that puts a clean and healthy spin on its food.

Walking in, we’re greeted enthusiastically, as if we’re just the kind of customers our hosts secretly and specifically hoped to see. We have a choice of high tables or the counter. We choose a table and clamber up onto high wooden stools. We have an excellent view of the Chopstix kitchen, which is white and clean and wide open, a stainless-steel vision of efficiency. There are stacks of Styrofoam to-go cartons, stacks of clear containers holding fried noodles, tubs of chopped vegetables, skewered meat. Against one wall, there are stacks of T-shirts and sweat shirts, just in case anybody develops an emblematic affection for the place.

The kitchen is staffed by a squadron of Chinese-speaking Chinese cooks. We’re served by another squadron of vigorous Valley young people. One seats us, one comes and punches our orders into what looks like a remote control unit, another brings us narrow glasses of naturally sweet iced hibiscus tea.

Creative Listings

The Chopstix menu reads like the work of an ad agent having a silly attack: “Win Sum and Dim Sum” . . . “Won Ton Stock Exchange--a winning stock that will never let you down” . . . “Chopstix Primavera--Our chef really used his noodle to create this abundance of tender pasta” . . . and so it goes.

The food itself was, according to the menu, “created” by a chef named Hugh Carpenter, who took a frankly California trendy Pan-Asian approach. There are Sichuan, Thai and California Cuisine offerings, and even some Tex-Mex Vegetarian Dumplings. There’s no MSG, and ingredients are mostly noodle products with fresh meats and vegetables.

Since nothing costs more than $4.65, we’re encouraged to try a lot of things. And so we do. At first, we’re a little apologetic over the number of dishes two of us order--eight--but our waiter is nonchalant. We soon see why: Portions are, generally, quite modest (which, of course, means that the prices aren’t so compellingly low after all).

We are unaffected by the Crunchy Lemon Shrimp Salad, an uninspired mix of fried noodles, chopped lettuce, shrimp and an acidic dressing. And the starch-thickened Hot and Sour Sichuan Soup is hot with chiles but manages to taste utterly bland. Win sum, dim sum, I guess.

But the curry-filled Take a Bao steamed Chinese rolls, which come two to an order, are big and pleasantly gummy and wholly satisfying. The spare ribs, although startingly pink, are succulent and tender; the spring rolls are of familiar looks and taste.

I ate almost an entire order (four) of the Tex-Mex Vegetarian Dumplings, trying to figure out if I was grossed out by the unspecified mush inside them and the peculiar salsa covering them, or if I actually liked the effect. The jury is still out--although I doubt I’ll ever order them again. My friend says the Really Risque Rice, with its raisins, pine nuts, green onions, red peppers, etc., is, hands down, the best dish we tried.

Throughout the meal, the service moves in fits and starts. There appear to be hosts, beverage people, an order taker, runners and bus people, which means that practically every time something happens at our table, there’s another stranger involved. While we are eating our chocolate-chip almond cookies (which taste better than their rather pale, flat looks), and our luscious pistachio Robin Rose ice cream, the night manager stops by for a chat. Young and good-looking, excited about his job, he tells us business is coming right along. He’s gratified when we say, yes, we enjoyed our dinner. “Tell me this,” he says. “Whaddya think of the bathrooms?”

Well, the mirror-shiny metal doors and the round aquarium protruding from the wall is nice, but frankly, since he asked, we tell him that the hand blower-dryer, for whatever reason, is placed uncomfortably low. . . .

A few nights later, I slip in on my own for a quick dinner. Again, I’m greeted with great warmth, then I sit alone at the counter, two chairs down from that night’s manager. I am so obvious, so unabashedly there, that I am completely overlooked. Even after my order is taken, a Diet Coke sits poured, out of reach and undelivered on top of the machine, until I flag down someone to hand it across the aisle to me.

Likewise, I got some of my food, while other courses sat under the warming lights until somebody noticed it, examined it curiously and then passed it over. I wasn’t particularly bored or uncomfortable, and I had a great view of the busy kitchen. And frankly, I never did know who I should have appealed to for better service--the host, waiter, runner, beverage person, or manager? Sometimes, all this efficiency seems very confusing.

Recommended dishes: Take A Bao, $3.35; My Thai Dumplings, $3.65; Melrose Avenue Spring Rolls, $2.95; Secret Saucy Spareribs, $4.65; chocolate-chip almond cookies, $1.65; ice cream, $2.25; Chinese Hibiscus iced tea, $1.55.

Chopstix, 14622 Ventura Blvd., (818) 990-1111. Open 11:30 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday, till 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. MasterCard, Visa and personal checks accepted. Beer and wine license pending. Dinner for two, food only, $12 to $25.

for illustration slugged REVIEW ART; no caption needed