Don’t let the judgemental squid turn you off the raw seafood menu. Photo: Tenele Conway.
It’s hard to keep a good Canberran down, and there isn’t a true and loyal Canberran who, at some point in their life, hasn’t gone into battle to defend the credibility of our nightlife.
But walking down Northbourne Avenue, a stone’s throw from the London Circuit closure on an arctic Monday night, it’s easy to question where your loyalty really lies. The vibe is decidedly post-apocalyptic.
It’s a scene that every hardy Canberran knows only too well, but against all odds, life is out there, and Northbourne’s contemporary Japanese restaurant Chop Chop is one such place offering good times, great food and a solid commitment to paying their heating bill.
Birthed from its former incarnation, Edo Tori, Chop Chop came onto the scene in 2023, and if you haven’t yet been, it’s worth a London Circuit detour.
The Wagyu beef skewers with edamame and Asahi on tap are a strong combo. Photo: Martin Conway.
Filled with neon fun, bold and eclectic murals and a price point that won’t make you clutch your heart, Chop Chop is easy to love, even when Canberra is doing its best to break you.
When it comes to ordering, the laziest among us can opt for a Feed Me menu priced at $69 per person. It’s jumped up a little in price since my last visit. However, what hasn’t changed is that it’s still excellent value, given that you’ll receive a procession of nine dishes, including several types of sashimi and a well-balanced mix of sharing dishes, all leaning into Chop Chop’s unique blend of tradition and innovation.
Already familiar with the Feed Me menu, we weighed up the wider selection on offer, with the salmon carpaccio hitting the table first. Reaching in with my chopsticks and mopping the salmon through its fruity, smoky sauce, I was aware of the oversized mural squid sitting in judgement behind us; little did he know, I reckoned with my carnivorous ways long ago and not even his cute orange face was going to stop me getting my fill.
The salmon carpaccio is sweet, smoky and delicious. Photo: Martin Conway.
We paired the salmon with some edamame topped with big dollops of sesame-infused sauce. This was chased down with the wagyu beef skewers that were nicely charred, perfectly tender and smothered in a sweet, smoky soy-based sauce.
From our selection of small plates, it was agreed that the negi hotate scallops, served on the shell with micro herbs and crisp onion, were the standout so far, although one more dish was still to arrive.
The negi hotate scallops were the standout among our small plates. Photo: Martin Conway.
Waiting for the final dish and sipping on our Asahi poured from the selection of eight beers on tap, the poignant neon signage above the bar catches my eye: ‘Save Water Drink Beer’. It’s a message that really resonates with me at this stage of life; it’s a more mature take on the old mantra, ‘Live Laugh Love’.
Searching Temu for a homewares edition for my mantlepiece, our final main arrives: the Tori chicken breast.
Consisting of a grilled and sliced chicken breast with a herb yoghurt and cabbage pickle, it wrapped up what was not only a reasonably priced meal, but one that I can enter into My Fitness Pal without having to lie to retain my stats (let’s keep the beer between you and me, though).
The Tori chicken breast wrapped up a delicious and reasonably-priced meal. Photo: Martin Conway.
Stepping back out onto the blustery main road and saying sayonara to the warm haven of Chop Chop, it’s nice to reflect on the fact that our great city has never struggled to produce good food, only to persuade people to leave the house to find it.
Chop Chop is located at 43 Northbourne Ave, Canberra. They’re open from 5:30 pm until 9 pm, Monday through Wednesday, and from 12 pm until 2:30 pm and 5:30 pm until 9:30 pm Thursday through Sunday.
Original Article published by Tenele Conway on Region Canberra.
