Opal Restaurant Review

My love of the restaurant Opal began when it was half the size and owned by Brigitte Guehr; and also called Brigitte's. I lived behind the Arlington in a studio along Chapala and would look forward to meeting friends at the warm and cozy spot. The cafe has always reminded me of a Parisian spot on Ile Saint-Louis. Now the restaurant is twice the size and a whole new name and buzz. The dining room still somehow retains its aura of a small intimate locals restaurant.

On this particular visit I was meeting family and the four of us could not get an early reservation. We decided to chance it and sat at the bar waiting for our 8pm seating. The bartender was a joy to watch and very personable. We ordered a bottle of wine and shared it with the staff. The host seemed to have forgotten about us and we ultimately didn't get seated until 30 minutes after our reservation.

Our server more than made up for this lapse. With a packed house, the service was still timely and attentive. I started with the wonderful Pan Seared Crab Cakes drizzled with a roasted red pepper aioli sauce. This was perfectly done. As so many restaurants cannot prepare crab cakes this was a pleasant surprise. For my main course I had the Roasted Duck with Chambord Black Compote. The duck itself was excellent if not a little over done. However, the choice of wild rice with a port wine demi glace, i felt was a big miss on the part of chef Felipe Barajas. I truly felt the rice diminished the meal and cheapened an otherwise elegant duck.

My wife enjoyed her Wild Mushroom Stuffed Chicken breast on Fresh herb risotto. While rich with the cream sauce, she loved it nonetheless.

With entrees averaging $14 and appetizers $8, Opal is one of the few wonderful dining experiences that you can return to time and again without breaking the wallet. I guess that is why they are so popular. Next time I will call days ahead for my reservation, as I advise you do too.