Chopstix, La Comida Oriental

Address: Bugambilias Plaza, on the Carretera in Ajijic
Phone: 376-766-1375
Hours: 11:30 - 4:30, M-F. Closed Saturday and Sunday
Facebook
Vietnamese Cuisine. Monthly Dim Sum by Reservation.
Cash Only; Credit Cards not Accepted

First Impressions

Chopstix is an unpretentious diner specializing in Vietnamese cuisine. The café is located on the ground floor, at the back of Bugambilias Plaza. Customers can also enter from a door that opens onto the side street. The dining room is bright and scrupulously clean. The kitchen and preparation areas are visible from the modest dining room.

Chopstix serves lunch only, Monday through Friday. Diners quickly fill up the tables at lunch time. This is a very popular place with expats. The menu is simple, with a variety of traditional Asian appetizers and main dishes, as well as a special that changes daily.

The owners are hands-on, greeting customers as they come through the door, over-seeing the kitchen and running the cash register, waiting on tables and making sure that customers are happy with their meals. A dessert menu, written on a chalkboard, consists of an ever-changing variety of ice creams made in house.

Menu

Traditional Asian appetizers and noodle-based main dishes are offered on a one page menu, with drinks listed on the opposite side.

Diners can choose to begin with pot stickers, fried spring rolls or fresh summer rolls. I have tasted all three and could make a meal out of just the appetizers alone. They are all delicious and cooked to order. The standard dishes offered each day are a noodle bowl, consisting of rice noodles, a large serving of chicken, salad and a freshly made peanut sauce, a Rice Plate and a Bread Plate.

On the day we visited, Chicken Noodle Soup, or Pho Ga, was the daily special. The soup is served in a large bowl brimming with steamy, well seasoned broth and huge chunks of chicken, rice noodles and fresh greens.

Chopstix offers a large variety of drinks, from Chinese Green Tea and lemongrass tea, to a locally brewed pro-biotic ginger beer, white and red wine, beer and soda.

Then, there is dessert. The only thing on the menu is ice cream, but that is enough. The luscious creamy dessert is made in-house. A menu on a chalkboard in the dining room informs customers of the varieties available that day.

We ordered bowls of mint chocolate chip and lemongrass-ginger. The ice cream is rich and creamy and the added flavors are fresh without overpowering the creamy sweetness. This is the best ice cream I have tasted while living at Lake Chapala. Even if you do not care for Asian food, stop in for a bowl of this ice cream. The lemongrass ginger is my favorite flavor - it is irresistible.

I have tasted nearly every dish on the menu at Chopstix and have never been disappointed. If you love Asian cuisine, you can't go wrong ordering anything on the menu.

Chopstix offers a monthly Dim Sum. Reservations are required for this special meal. Customers can sign up on their Facebook page or by email to receive notification of when the meal will be served.

Service and Price

These are hands-on owners who have been living and working in Ajijic for over 15 years. They understand their customers and work hard to keep them happy. The service is fast, friendly and conscientious. Prices are very reasonable, especially for the generous serving size of the dishes.

Our Recommendation ****

Chopstix is a great place for lunch. If you have not been yet, stop by after a morning of shopping at the Wednesday tiangus (street market).

The food is consistently good and the prices are right. If you are in the mood for good Asian cuisine, we highly recommend Chopstix for a delicious and satisfying lunch. Don't forget to try a bowl of their heavenly ice cream.