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by Barbara Penny Angelakis
 Opia Restaurant, Bar, Lounge
130 East 57th Street
New York City, NY 10022
212.688.3939
www.opiarestaurant.com
What’s in a name you might ask... well Opia is a made up word and we will not divulge the thought behind it, except to say that there is a Greek word “onomatopoea”, which means making words out of sounds, and leave it at that. The true mystery of Opia is that it has a large bar and lounge area for drinking and socializing, with music and sports events featured, and still manages to be a first class French/Asian restaurant. The kitchen doesn’t pretend to be a good kitchen; it is a good kitchen under the impressive talents of Executive Chef Kenneth Munz. The location could not be more convenient - 57th Street off Lexington Avenue, on the second floor - but the layout of the 4,000 square foot space is unfortunate. You enter into the darkened, frenetic lounge area and there is no clear indication of the comfortable dining rooms hidden behind the bar, but once located the momentary confusion is forgotten, and when your meal begins, forgiven as well.
The bar has an extensive cocktail and wine list and a menu of small plates, sushi and deserts. Lunch, and Saturday and Sunday Brunch, are served in the lounge with its plush couches and table seating areas, 11 foot high ceilings and arched floor to ceiling windows overlooking the passing scene below. There are two dining rooms, the first one housing the piano for weekly musical interludes with the charming co-owner Antoine Blech and his stylish compositions (www.frenchcrooner.com) and the main dining area with its gray taupe walls, soft  lighting and comfortable cherry red mohair plush chairs, white tablecloths and tables just a tad smaller than I prefer.
While we perused the menu, we ordered drinks from Opia’s classic cocktails list; traditional Caipirinha and The Peach Cosmo, both properly mixed. The menu had so many offerings of mouth-watering appetizers and salads that it was difficult to decide, but we finally settled on Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad, Tuna Tartar and Sautéed Wild Mushrooms and Escargots with Polenta. Cubed beets and chunks of goat cheese were covered with a thin layer of arrugula, which was dressed - not drenched and not just glazed over - but properly dressed  with a delightful Pomegranate vinaigrette, bringing together all the separate elements of the salad. The tartar was served in a mold of chunky bits of fresh sushi quality tuna with shredded green papaya strips, a supply of crisp taro chips, Edamame beans and a swipe of black olive tepanade… and utterly delicious. The mushroom and escargot mix was bursting with flavor and perfectly countered by the creamy polenta bed on which it rested.
The entrée selections were just as successful. Seared Striped Bass filet was cooked to perfection; crispy skin and moist, flaky flesh topped with generous  slices of Crouton dolloped with Rouille, unfortunately the bed of artichokes and carrots were floating in way too much olive oil. Most surprising of all were the Moules Frites which our helpful Romanian born waiter Catalen recommended as one of Chef Munz’s signature dishes. The mussels were squeaky clean and the sauce of white wine, whole cloves of garlic and assorted other essences was so good that every drop had to be sopped up with bread. The accompanying French fries were easily the best this side of Marseilles and so generous a portion that sadly we had to leave a goodly amount on the plate. To compliment the entrée, Manos tried a glass of the Bordeaux weekly house selection, which was a classic, elegant and  eminently drinkable wine and I choose La Porte Du Caillou Sancerre, which was highly aromatic, crisp with fresh green apple and a hint of apricot taste. A rich, golden Sauternes complimented dessert. A special tasting platter is offered so that many of the French confections can be sampled. Most unusual was the Mont Blanc Chestnut Puree, Dulce De Leche Flan, and the Chocolate Mousse, although all the deserts were good. The meal finished with a tray of cookies and chocolates and a delightful chat with our waiter Catalen, who guided us through the meal.
© March 2008 LuxuryWeb Magazine. All rights reserved.
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