Natalie Boydston / Staff Photographer / nb397205@ohiou.edu

Aysha Parker serves Butch and Ann Hill at Purple Chopsticks. The Hills are regulars at Purple Chopsticks and dine there once a week.

You won’t find soft drinks on the menu. Or beef, alcohol or Chinese food. But the eclectic art and cuisine from around the world that can be found at Purple Chopstix, 371 Richland Ave., more than makes up for any lack of convention.

Founded in 1989 by owner Ed Fisher, Purple Chopstix’ painted orange-and-teal exterior matches the charm and feeling of the inside.

Guests bang a gong to get a table, and there is no hostess. The clientele consists of a base of regulars who like to use the restaurant as a showpiece for their friends who come into town, Fisher said.

PassionWorks art hangs from the ceilings and sits on the floors. Fisher said much of it came from old parade floats and special exhibits that ended with nowhere to put the pieces. He describes the décor as “Appalachian international eclectic garage sale.”

A creek runs through the property behind the restaurant. In the summer, patrons can eat outside on a patio or in the woods across the creek. Art exhibitions have been shown in the woods, including sculpture and photography work from Ohio University students.

The restaurant itself is a piece of art and has hosted shows of Athens residents’ and OU students’ work. The staff adds to the ambiance with their own art, such as tile mosaics and a broken mirror mosaic that is still under construction. Student films have been shot inside as well.

“I like to think of it in terms of it being a studio set, and we just happen to serve food,” Fisher said. “We try to mix in theatrics without detracting from the food.”

Staff members also look for new ways to test their creativity in the kitchen by beautifully presenting the dishes.

The menu is not to be outdone by the décor. A mix of Thai, Indian, seafood and vegetarian dishes are prepared with locally grown and sold ingredients.

Fisher’s ethics drive the menu content. He started the first vegetarian restaurant in Athens in the spot that is now O’Betty’s Red Hot! on West State Street. A sign from that restaurant hangs in the cupid room at Purple Chopstix as a reminder of its roots.

“When you walk in (the restaurant) it’s like you’re walking into someone’s living room. We always have someone hanging out here,” chef Jamie Sparhawk said.