CHAR: Opium

Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

IN the 1800’s British merchants did a roaring trade in smuggling opium, a highly addictive poppy derivative, into China. The Chinese government were naturally unhappy with the steady stripping of Chinese silver alongside mass addiction and this led to two wars and prohibition. But the habit was hard to kick. When Chinese migrants left China in the 19th century they brought pipe-smoking opium dens with them to England, the US and elsewhere. These dens became emblems of underworldly iniquity, romanticised as exotic sites.

Photo by George Voronov

It’s safe to say Opium on Wexford Street is not full of people smoking mind-bending pipes, although it does have an attractive smoking garden. It’s a blend of minimalist opulence with a relaxed, loungey vibe and a pan- Asian inspired menu that looks to Thailand, Vietnam and Japan for inspiration. It’s busy, particularly at the weekend, but manages to stay comfortable and chill. The décor has a contemporary Japanese feel with bold graphic art on the walls, dark wooden floors, luxurious leather booths and pretty orange patterned lanterns dotted above the long bar at the back.

We started with cocktails from their Asian-inspired list, which caters to different palates whether you’re looking for delicate and fruity or strong and serious. The Mango Bang Bang is Tanqueray gin with lightly tannic Gunpowder and mango tea, sweetened with mango and lychee syrup. The Paloma Sling has a tequila buzz with bitter notes from Aperol and San Pellegrino grapefruit soda sweetened up with agave syrup. Both were refreshing but complex; sweetly fruity but not overly so. Nothing like tequila on a Wednesday.

The best thing about food like that of Opium is how it manages to be light but also satisfying. The flavours are zingy, varying from subtle to punchy. There are a diverse section of starters and small plates, which I love as I am incredibly indecisive. The menu gives you the options of snacking with some cocktails or going for a more traditional starter-main course configuration. If you’re not drinking cocktails there are light Asian beers and a compact but varied wine list. Manager Mario recommends the Riesling or the Pinot Noir as the most traditional wine-matches for this type of food. We went for some light and sparkling prosecco.

If you’re a dumpling fan [who isn’t?], there are two types of dumplings on the menu. The first type are handmade gyoza with shrimp and snow pea, pork and ginger, or mushroom and smoked garlic. These come with a very addictive black vinegar, soy and sesame dip. The second is more of a boat-pusher; scallop and prawn. The sweet and delicate seafood parcels come in a clean but rich consommé. The broth has all the big South East Asian flavours - ginger, lemongrass, kafir lime and chili. The ‘hirata buns’ or bao are top notch, we tried the Thai Po’Boy; the soft, pillowy buns filled with crunchy fried soft shell crab, tangy green papaya remoulade and salad. There’s also a char siu BBQ pork number.

For mains there are dishes from across Asia: curries, soups, stir-fries, noodle dishes and salads from Thailand, Malaysia, China and Vietnam. There are a range of spice levels available if you want to feel the heat. Mario says the curries are particularly popular and you can see why. The duck red curry, pimped with extra chili, was wintry, warming and flavoursome, the coconut milk adding a soft sweetness that offsets the chili kick. There are lots of delicious additions including cute little pea aubergines, bamboo shoots, lychees and pineapple.

The twice-cooked suckling pork belly was also a winner, caramelised and sticky on the outside, rich and tasty flavours with chili, garlic, scallions and bean sprouts on the inside. We tried the morning glory for some nutritious greenery on the side; a delicious Chinese spinach-like vegetable that comes with sesame and chili. Desserts are tropical and rich, like the white chocolate and mango chocolate cheesecake. Think a creamy caramel taste offset by tangy roast pineapple and passion fruit, with a ginger nut base. Or try the apple and rhubarb puffs with five-spice, cinnamon ice-cream and butterscotch.

Photo by George Voronov

They do a great-value early-bird Sun–Wed 5–7.30pm. It’s 21.95 euro for two course and 24.95 euro for three of any of the à la carte dishes. It’s a fusion-style menu which pays respect to the origins of dishes without being slavish and it changes at least twice a year to reflect the seasons. Like the décor, the menu shows huge attention to detail. There’s obviously been a big effort to source Asian ingredients rather than substitute. The salads are great in hot weather but the curries and spicy dishes work particularly well in our frigid, wintry months. The menu is very amenable to gluten free and vegetarian/vegan needs as rice noodles and tofu can be subbed in. Asian food is light on dairy, but all dishes can be made dairy free.

Opium has multiple floors, nooks and crannies with something for everyone especially at the weekend. The restaurant is quite separate to the club upstairs, but at the back there’s a sweet ‘Botanic Garden’ where you can smoke and have a drink. The restaurant is the perfect place for after work drinks and eats. It’s hopping on Fridays and Saturdays too. Wexford and Camden Street can be hectic, but the soothing tunes, luscious cocktails and food at Opium will transport you to the other side of the world.

opium.ie