It's Chop Chop for Chinese restaurant's expansion

Chinese restaurant Chop Chop is to expand its operations on a huge scale, with plans to open at least ten new restaurants across the UK over the next three years.

Owner Roy King said he was looking for restaurants capable of seating between 80 and 120 diners in towns and cities of at least 250,000.

"We're looking at Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester and Birmingham in the north and Midlands, several in London and possibly units in Bristol and Brighton," he said.

The firm currently operates two restaurants in Edinburgh - one in Haymarket and the newly-opened Leith Waterfront branch.

A factory will open in Edinburgh to supply the restaurants with food based on the cooking of north-east China, particularly Jilin province, known for its boiled and fried dumplings. Mr King's wife, Jian Wang, oversees the culinary side of the business.

The couple also operates Jian's Dumplings, which supplies Sainsbury's and Chinese supermarkets.

After the opening of Chop Chop in Leith last month, the restaurant offered free alcoholic drinks because it had not yet received its licence and couldn't charge for them.

Mr King put out an honesty box for donations towards the cost of drinks, but said there was no obligation to pay. Although he admitted to losing about 200 he said it was a good way to encourage customers to try the restaurant.

As well as the dumplings for which the restaurants are best known, they also serve traditional meat dishes from Jilin province and more familiar dishes like spicy crispy beef and sweet and sour spare ribs.