Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Purple Chopstix



by Steve Zeisler

Opening the door, it seems as if I have stepped into a different world. Buddhas of various shapes and sizes smile at me as multi-colored dragons, flowers, and starfish dot the ceilings and walls. I actually learned that the majority of the artwork made for the restaurant is donated by Passion Works, which is an art studio in Athens that allows mentally handicapped adults to express their creativity through painting, ceramics, etc.

French jazz music radiates through the restaurant as my friend Jess hits the gong to signal that we’ve arrived and need service. This is the eclectic environment that you will experience at Purple Chopstix. A quaint restaurant located just minutes away from campus on Richland Avenue, it is actually an old house with an addition constructed for more space.

Jess and I sat down at the table, and soon realized that we were the only customers in the restaurant. I noticed that beyond the multi-colored artwork hanging on the ceiling and walls, other aspects of the restaurant were multi-colored as well. Our tablecloth was purple, the carpet was bright blue, and the chairs were an electric red.

The menu is as eclectic as the environment. Choices range from vegan sushi, Greek pizza, veggie tofu, Indian curry, and many others. It typically reflects a Mediterranean to Southeast Asian cuisine. Having been to Thailand, I was extremely excited. Jess and I decided to start out with Tom Yum Soup, which was beans and rice in a spicy Thai coconut broth with scallions and fresh ginger. After that, we ended up splitting the Greek pizza, which was creamy pesto spread on warm flatbread, topped with kalamata olives, fresh tomatoes, and feta cheese. We were both completely satisfied with the results.

Overall, our dining experience was lovely. If you’re looking for a nice sit down restaurant that serves non-traditional cuisine and plays funky French jazz music, this is the place for you. Support this local business. I promise you that you cannot go wrong.

Check out the website at www.purplechopstix.com.

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