Opia Hong Kong - A Hidden Jewel in Causeway Bay

Update 05.04.08 - Apparently, Opia has closed, as of April 30! This comes as a disappointment to me, since I have enjoyed a couple of great meals there. In fact, my last visit, which is captured by the writeup below, was a fantastic experience, and reasonably priced for such high quality food. A new restaurant will be replacing Opia at the Jia Hotel later this year, so stay tuned, I guess.

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Causeway Bay on Hong Kong Island is a fascinating collection of old and new. Luxurious (and expensive) shopping malls (yes, plural) share street addresses with wet markets, open air produce stands, and nick-nack trading alleys. In this area lies the JIA botique hotel, and its restaurant, Opia. It's easy to miss the unassuming hotel and its tiny sign as you pass by on the street, but the food here is worth taking notice of.

I hesitate to use the f-word... you know, "fusion," as I don't want to scare anyone away. But Opia's menu is full of dishes containing elements of Japanese, Thai, Australian, and Mediterranean cuisines. Not to worry, if there were a template for how to select and blend these flavors flawlessly, it would be found here.

The discreet entrance to Opia along Pennington Street in Causeway Bay gives no indication of the sophisticated space inside. The stunning interior stands apart from the old world neighborhood just outside.

I have actually been to Opia once before, but not since Executive Chef Dane Clouston has revamped the menu after taking full control of the kitchen. I remembered that meal as one of my most favorite in all my trips to Hong Kong, particularly the soy-laquered Wagyu ox cheek, which remains an Opia signature item. Despite my lust for this dish, last night I went with the chef's degustation menu - a six course delight intended to introduce the diner to the essence of Clouston's food. Most courses had two options to choose from. Okay, enough chit chat - let's do this.

Japanese Inspired Oyster Shooter with Mirin Tamari and Seaweed Green Tea Soba Roll

Talk about a fantastic way to start off a meal - the briny, oceanic essence of a fresh oyster shares the stage with sweet Japanese rice wine (Mirin) and tamari in a bite that goes down way too easily. I would have liked a few more of these. The soba roll wasn't bad, either, but was nothing special. Apologies for the fuzzy photo - I was still trying to get my camera settings worked out for the low light when my stomach took over and the oyster just, um, disappeared.

Kingfish Sashimi with Black Bean Dressing, Crispy Wonton, Cucumber Oil and Shiso

Kingfish appears to frequent sashimi menus in Australia far more frequently than elsewhere in the world, which, after tasting this dish, I find quite depressing. The kingfish had such a nice, soft texture, and rich, creamy taste uncommon to many whitefish. All of the condiments were effective enhancements, adding texture and balance to the richness of the fish.

Dumpling of Quail and Foie Gras with Sticky Chili Relish, Salad of Crackling, Ginger, Shallot and Baby Cress

My server recommended this choice, and I was glad that I took his advice. The dumpling was full of savory roasted quail, bound together with a little foie gras. The salad was full of bright, fresh flavors and a variety of textures (fried ginger crisps, cilantro, fried shiso). The chili relish was sweet with a just hint of heat that lingered in the background - nice balance. It was altogether a great dish that represented well the essence of Opia's food.

Pan Seared Foie Gras with Toasted Onion Oil, Milk Chocolate, Caviar and Baby Basil

I'm sorry, did you say chocolate? Unbelievably great pairing of the ultra rich fattiness of the foie and the light sweetness of the mousse. The salty caviar was the perfect element to balance out this fantastic dish. And the foie? It was perfectly cooked, with a nice seared crust on the outside contrasting beautifully with the ultra soft, almost molten interior (the texture was remeniscient of bone marrow). The flavor was insanely rich and delicious.

Blood Orange Sorbet

A little sweet, with a natural light sourness. Cool and refreshing, it was a nice palate cleanser.

Sumac Spice Black Cod with Red Harissa Dressing, Queen Green Olives, Mint, and Saffron Yoghurt

My first thought when this was brought out to me was - holy crap that's a lot of strong flavors thrown together on that plate! There were lemon segments, mint leaves, pomegranite seeds, olives, shallots, a sweet chili sauce, and saffron infused yogurt all paired with a spiced slab-o-fish. I took a bite, and tried to see if the flavors were as wild and unfocused as I thought they might be. A second bite, and I was amused. I shook my head after the third bite, thouroughly delighted (and mildly surprised) that all of these elements seemed to exist in a harmony of bright, clear flavor, each one adding a note to the collective boquet. Not to mention, the fish was perfectly cooked (with nice crispy skin, too). The yogurt was key, I think, in bringing everything together. Another bit of genius from Mr. Clouston.

Strawberry Trifle with Sherry Jelly, Vanilla Sponge, Cream Custard and Pistachio Nut Praline

A nice way to close things out. The photo shows a quenelle of strawberry sorbet resting on top of the trifle and its tasty praline top. Inside were layers of the above listed elements, which combined to be fruity and creamy, without being too heavy.

What can I say? I love this place. The integration of Asian and Meditarranean flavors with modern Australian fare is done with wisdom and elegance. I know of no better place where the much hyped/poo-pooed fusion phenomenon is accomplished with such focus and success. Whenever I'm in Hong Kong, I'll be stopping by.

Opia
JIA Botique Hotel
1-5 Irving St.
Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

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