OPUS, Bangkok

Saturday night my husband and I went to a new Italian restaurant. OPUS was highly recommended to us by a friend of my husband’s and his recommendation was spot on! I hadn’t planned on posting a review of OPUS but the whole dining experience we encountered was simply fabulous. Good friends of ours, Vicki and Jim, joined us as well and we spent four easy hours conversing, eating, drinking, consuming more food and wine and before we knew it, it was already 11:30pm.

OPUS wine bar and restaurant, set in a beautiful Thai style villa, offers a place for Bangkok’s oenophiles to enjoy over 200 labels. OPUS opened in January 2009 and managing director, Alex Morabito, is passionate about his wines and is very familiar with Italian wines from all the regions of Italy. He takes great pride in his wine cellar and will help you pair wine with the dishes you chose.

As you enter the restaurant, your eye quickly scans the glassed-in wine cellar at the back. A bar to the left fills the wall and high wine-tasting tables with high leather chairs complimented by a couple of cream leather couches next to the cellar are the prime drinking spots. In the front of the house is another dining area, a minimalist but warm spot, with lower and more traditional dining furniture.

The food is traditional Italian. To whet your appetite, order the (warm) tapas platter which includes Arancini (fried spicy rice balls), juicy calamari, skewers of tenderloin, fried mushrooms and shrimp. OPUS pastas are homemade and the rolled pasta I had with beef ragù was heavenly! My husband had the swordfish and was savoring each mouthful. Vicki chose sea bass which looked as though it came out of a gourmet food magazine. Jim and Vicki also shared the seared foie gras which was consumed with a smile.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: We were warmly greeted by Alex and our evening started off in the wine bar area sipping Prosecco. After a couple of drinks we moved to our table for dinner. The food and service was great and the evening was capped off by homemade limoncillo! I have never tasted a homemade version and let me tell you, this was bellissimo!