Can Opa smash it?
Another Greek restaurant in Dubai. Another Greek restaurant review? That’s my thinking as we trudge towards another ‘authentic’ experience, but in the same way that the plain elevator in the Fairmont Dubai on Sheikh Zayed opens to a mesmerising garden walkway, Opa (replacing Catch), is surprisingly playful. After the seriousness of making the reservation with credit cards (!), rules and reminders, I am blown away by the fun within. But does it also bring substance?
The interior is reminiscent of a typical Greek garden with shades of white brought alive by colourful, entwining mock bougainvillea. The music is loud but as we see later, this makes total sense and is not as annoying as it might have been. The staff is brilliant; charm and knowledge personified and always on hand to help understand a dish, or even to teach you how to pronounce it properly.
I am thirty minutes earlier than my date and so I order pita bread and the Opa ‘signature’ hummus tahini (the menu has two versions). Big mistake. I do not think I have ever finished a bowl of hummus, but here, I end up ordering more pita to do so and we all know that stuffing yourself full of bread before a meal is a schoolboy error. Topped with crispy lamb and roasted pine nuts, as moreish as this appetiser is, it’s more of a nod to the Levantine version of hummus than Greek though. I do feel that pita in a Greek restaurant, like any serving of bread, should be offered complimentary. A more humble bread is provided, but is not in the same league as the thick, hot, herby pita. The gods back in Greece would be in uproar.
Grilled Cypriot halloumi arrives in a bowl of fig and grape dressing and I intend to share, but I am sorry, I just can’t. My friend orders the shaved lamb ‘gyros’ with a refreshing dill dressing and delightfully crispy potatoes – but does not intend to share, although ironically, he does, because it’s a simple dish, presented in a cute style. Most tables are large celebrations and that is what we need as it allows us to try the many, many dishes that our eyes are jealous of.
Lobster orzo is served tableside with a warning from the waiter that it can feed two or three people. The honesty and knowledge when ordering is the opposite of classic Dubai upselling, and is another reason for feeling relaxed at Opa. To be fair, I do let my friend have at least two spoonfuls before I demolish every bit of the tomatoey, Mediterranean flavoured dish. The accompanying seaweed butter gives the lobster an extra layer of juicy satisfaction. Unfortunately, the perfectly-looking grilled lamb chops are slightly overdone. This means the salty fat is beautifully rendered, but the meat itself is tougher than it should be. The classic tzatziki and pickled cucumber on the side are refined and would have been perfect with some nice, rare meat.
At this stage, the fun begins. And, it really is fun. Waiters perform a traditional Zorba dance, while we all smash plates at their feet. Everyone in the packed-out restaurant is on their feet and hollering with delight, resonating perfectly with the restaurant’s name ‘Opa,’ often heard called out at Greek celebrations and weddings. How the entire restaurant manages to dance around the tables, I do not know, but such enjoyment, so many smiles, more please! Sometimes, food in Dubai can be so serious and Opa is the antidote to that; smashing one plate at a time.
There is only one dessert to have – if you can even manage one at this stage – and that is the baklava sundae. A showstopping tower of filo pastry, pistachio cream, caramel, ice-cream, and baklava. Even the table next to us is Instagramming OUR baklava! It is tasty, fresh, and ideal to share but I cannot stop comparing it to the one I had at Avli, which was decadent and much more to my preference. Ultimately, the bread, the hummus, and the orzo defeat me. My infamous sweet tooth cannot finish all of the baklava.
Overall, I think that most Greek restaurants in Dubai are finding their niche and Opa has smashed it with the fun element…AND the substance. The bar is packed and the tables are turned over twice which explains why a credit card is required for reservations – a first for a Dubai restaurant, I believe. Diners are noticeably glamorous and happy. Over six months into opening, a restaurant cannot sustain this level of custom without getting it right and Opa does that. For such a busy, crazy restaurant, the service is brilliant, the atmosphere vivacious and the food enjoyable, bar the overcooked lamb chops. The price point of AED260 per person without alcohol is lower than I expect, and the conversation turns to planning a big night out here or the brunch with a large group of friends. We are definitely coming back. The beautiful interior, smart service, and octane levels of fun contribute to a high 4 FooDiva knives out of 5.
The question is obvious as this may be the last of Greek restaurant reviews for a while; which is your favourite Greek restaurant and why?
Matt Broderick
Who is guest reviewer Matt? A married man with an obsession for French wine and food, he loves nothing more than trying new restaurants and dishes with his wife and friends. Travel plans are always made around food and he can remember what he was doing on any given day by recalling the meal that he ate. His favourite chefs are Liz Stevenson, Reif Othman and Tommy Banks. You can follow him on Instagram @finediningmatt
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