Opal

Lots of great things have been happening here but I guess the word hasn’t gotten out. Opal Bistro will be closing its doors Halloween night and we’ve been going every night since we heard.
The food there is awesome. Top of the list is the tacos.
Sorry to see you go old friend.

Extremely expensive and tiny little portions.
Great custom drinks. They’ve got a great bartender and it shows. Service was good. Nice selection of Belgium beers on the menu.
I was really bummed by the prices and then the teeny little bit of food that came out. The Razor Clam Civeche was great– but I expected more than two bites for $ 16 (appetizer). They ran out of bread– so we left very hungry after each getting and app and a main.
Anywhere apps cost $ 10 – 20 needs to re-​think their menu. There are lots of options as good that will cost you a whole lot less.

I ended up here after being rejected from How To Cook A Wolf. I wasn’t about to wait over 2 hours for a meal, no matter how good it was supposed to be.
I walked into Opal with 3 other people and there was no one at the front to seat us. We waited patiently… but still no one came. There was one couple dining and 5 – 6 people sitting at the bar in the back of the small restaurant, which was about 20 feet from us. (It was only 8pm, by the way — not late.) We could see that a chef was hanging out at the bar chatting and no one had noticed us after 5 minutes, so I went up to ask him if we could please sit down. He apologized and seated us.
They do a tasting menu here so we ordered a «large» portion of 5 different things and each had one drink. When our larges arrived we started laughing, as they were the smallest plates of food any of us had ever seen. We all ate and left hungry, but not before we received our $ 200 bill.
Yes, $ 200 for tiny food.
The food was delicious and I would have loved to have more of it. My only complaint was that there was a little too much sauce/​dressing/​extras on some of the dishes that got messy and overwhelming at times, detracting from the flavor of the main component.
I’m glad I had a tasty meal, but I don’t think I’ll ever eat there again because I feel it’s a tad over-​priced. If they lowered the prices 20% this place would probably be packed all the time.

Like many others, we had planned to have dinner at How To Cook A Wolf. That restaurant does not take reservations, is very popular and has limited seating. As a result we found ourselves at our back-​up choice, Opal.
As at Wolf and many other restaurants, Opal offers small plates, tapas style menu items. I really enjoy this trend enabling you to sample multiple items. The food was very good, however I felt it to be be a bit expensive. We spent $$$ but left hungry. I had a rather bland beefsteak tartar $ 13. It was a 2″ x ½″ round mound served with a 2″ round of toast. A little bigger portion please. Our large salmon plate was 2 — 2“x3″ bites of fish, delicious but too little of it for $ 15. Salads were also very tasty. We all agreed the breads were fantastic.
We enjoyed a nice bottle of Malbec and cannot comment on their cocktails. Service was just fine. Recommended for a few small plates and a glass of wine or two, not recommended if you are hungry or pinching pennies.

I spent the summer checking out some of Seattle’s well-​reviewed restaurants of near mythical status: Union, How To Cook A Wolf, Tilth… Some of the spots that out-​of-​town food writers like to revisit and discover (and then send other tourists to). On the final night of the summer restaurant tour, I walked by Opal for the millionth time and, on a whim, decided to grab a reservation for that evening. All I can say is wow. A perfect, perfect end to a summer of amazing food.
Like other posters noticed, the drink list is nearly irrestible, even for someone (like me) who always prefers wine to cocktails (and, for Seattle, very well-​priced, especially if you’re there during happy hour when the cocktails are $ 2 off). But of course the food is really what seduces you… It is the perfect marriage of intellectually challenging combinations of flavors and textures (like Union) with the simple lusciousness that arises from fresh, unadulterated ingredients (like Tilth). If, like me, you love a base of good, simple ingredients elevated by novel preparations, you must come eat here.
Also want to comment that the service was exceptional; my server (Brett, I think) recommended a fantastic bottle of wine. I love that there are options of either small or large plates on many of the dishes, because (although I love sharing small plates), some are just SO good that I might have to go back and keep some all for myself when they look so enticing.

We went there by default on a Thursday evening. Another place we wanted to try was full.
The food was very good.
However, the rest of the experience was one that left a bad taste in my mouth. Perhaps, it was the table that was vibrating (yes vibrating) or the waitress that did not show up forever until the hostess moved us to another table. Maybe it was by the time our waitress showed up she kept touching my man every time she passed by our table,(even made my guy feel uncomfortable and that is hard to do) or that she was not aware which wines they carried.
To tell you the truth, I’m not sure which one of those things finally just irritated right into acting like a pouting three year old. I WAS NOT HAPPY!
The décor is done very well. I would love their tile in my kitchen. Ahh heck, I would love their chef in my kitchen.
I may try it again after my pouting lip goes down. :0)

Absolutely delicious!
This was such a treat after an exhausting day. First off, the drinks were very good. I had some concoction of lime, rum, and sugar syrup and it was nice and refreshing and *shout out to the bartender* perfectly muddled. The Boomtown Cab is also pretty tasty for the price ($ 7/​glass).
For food I had the greens, pea soup, scallops, sea bass, mac and cheese, and chocolate parfait. The greens were fresh and crisp, topped with thin-​sliced, the pea soup was the best I’ve had, nice and garlicky with small dumplings and mushrooms (I think) on top, the scallop and neighboring corn fritter were drizzled with bacon sauce for an ultimate indulgence, the sea bass was perfectly light and flaky, and the mac and cheese was not only the cutest thing I’ve ever seen (think dippin dots of mac n’ cheese, with tiny pasta balls) but it was delicious as well. The dessert was a special find — I’ve been on a 10 year quest for my absolute favorite German cookie, and the chocolate parfait tastes EXACTLY like it, which is a good enough replacement for me — Thick mousse-​type parfait with gingery, nutty goodness, accompanied by figs and almonds.
I enjoyed everything I tried here. Also, the presentation of the dishes was perfectly clean and simple, small plates for sharing, just like I like it. :)
The price tag for all of this — 6 drinks, 5 appetizer-​sized dishes and 1 dessert — just over $ 100. Definitely a new regular dinner spot. So wonderful!

So just picture a warm summer day. Not a cloud in the sky. After a day full of errands and being quite parched we arrive at the nicely decorated Opal. Friend and I pull up a chair at the bar to quench our thirst and what to our wondering eyes do appear but a delightfully thought of drink list and a fantastic bartender to boot! First of all, the service was seriously superb. Second of all, I don’t think I have ever seen a more creative, delicious, sexy, and taste-​bud-​satisfying drink list. We HAD to try more than one each. Whomever thought of that list should get a raise and a high five!
p. s. Bartender = RYAN!!!

So after discovering that How to Cook a Wolf is CLOSED every Tuesday and Wednesday, my group and I had to find a new place to eat and decided on Opal, which is on the same block.
Synopsis:
Waitstaff — Our waitress was so cute and friendly, a little clumsy in execusion like not pouring the wine correctly so it dripped down our glasses, or not clearing appetizer plates before bringing entrees.
Drinks — Fun and tasty cocktail list, good beers and wines, something for everyone. I had this strawberry cocktail which was insanely good
Food — They were willing to let my mom and friend turn an entrée into an appetizer which was nice, they said the shrimp was good and had a kick to it. I had the duck which was nice and crispy, so delicious. The beef also got rave reviews and came with tiny new potatoes prepaired like baked potatoes — cute! The mussels appetizer was also delicious. And I know its silly, but great bread selection at the table, I almost filled up on focaccia, breadsticks, garlic knots, and crackers… my bad.

Holy shit, I about blew out my knees riding my bike up that hill! How do you people live up here? This place wasn’t actually my original destination but while I was recovering from the climb, Opal caught my eye.
it was a pleasant June evening, there was an outside table available and a few items on the menu sounded like just the thing. For instance, the special was grilled king salmon with whipped potatoes. As basic as it sounds — around these parts anyway — I would have ordered that. Except I had almost that very dish last night somewhere else.
But it didn’t take much hunting to find another candidate — how about prawns sauteed with honey and chipotle, served over bacon/​corn cakes with spinach and bits of grilled pineapple? Think you could deal with that? If you think it sounds good, let me tell you, it’s better than that. Not big, but really really good. Really.
I was sitting there watching people traipsing all over that neighborhood, trying to settle on a place to eat. I mean, there are a ridiculous number of restaurants on Queen Anne; it can be overwhelming. But I just wanted to say, stop all the wandering! Get over here and order this prawn dish and all your doubts will disappear.
The waiter, who was covering tables inside as well, never seemed to be hovering, yet appeared with spooky efficiency each time I came close to needing something. That’s good.
Washed the little dinner down with a bright and assertively hoppy Elysian Fields Pale Ale and I was smiling a big smile while flyin’ back down that hill.
Such a big smile, in fact, a bug flew into my mouth on the way down Boston St. *gack!* Does the 5 second rule work in reverse?

I have been to Opal several times. As a local, I am delighted to have such a great restaurant and bar on Queen Anne. It is truly the Gem of the hill. It combines the best of cuisine with the personalized and intimate service of Cheers… «where every body knows your name, and their always glad you came». I do not mean to cheapen Opal with that comparison, it is truly a compliment in that you have the best of both worlds. They love and know their regulars, and you can get arguably one of the best fine dining dinners in Seattle.
Their menu changes on a regular basis as does their wine list, which is a superb collection of corks.
As a fairly new restaurant I have watched them evolve and work on perfecting their menu and staff. I think they have dialed it in perfectly now.
They offer everything from small bar menu items to a wide variety of appetizers and entrees. Their prices are reasonable and diverse. You can make the night as extravagant or as economical as you want to. What I truly appreciate most is the constantly changing menu and wine list. Each and every time I go there I find something new.
The most compelling aspect of Opal is the quality of the food, drinks, and the great presentation. You can tell a lot of thought is put in to every detail. Even the bar menu is well thought out. In addition, during their 3 for $ 30 special they designed cocktails to pair with each course. To me, that shows a restaurant that cares about the «Customer’s Experience»
I was told they are featuring a new prix fixe menu, which I can’t wait to try. See you at Opal!

We went here to celebrate some great advances in my new business, ended up in a fight, but the food was so good we ended up leaving in a good mood.
So there, the secret to marital harmony is $ 90 meals.
Or at least it’s a good band-​aid.
So anyway, enough about me.
We started out with drinks:
1. A Babiba — Cantelope Purée, Commemorativo, ancho salt rim
2. Passon Fruit Martini
Both very good and refreshing. Made us both a little punchy though and we started bickering. Not the fault of the drinks, of course.
Then the food started to arrive.
Vivian had two small plates: The Fennel Ahi and the Sweet breads. She was pretty much instantly in heaven. Very happy woman.
My steak frites made me mostly happy. I still claim to make the best steaks in Seattle — but the Omaha beef was nice, lightly seasoned, and I certainly didn’t leave anything on my plate.
So during the meal, our tone became less harsh, migrating to businesslike.
Dessert was the Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Black Pepper Roasted Rhubarb, and Lace Cookie. That totally made us happy people. And our conversation achieved a level of understanding and respect.
So there you go. Feeling like you are about to go ballistic? Take your spousal disputes to Opal and let the food guide you!
P. S. We went on a Friday at about 6 pm and there was no one there! I am not sure why, but it seems that the issues people had with crowds and noise are not always relevant.

Not being a Seattle resident, I rely on my mom and stepfather, who dine out constantly in the city, to choose the restaurants when I visit. I wasn’t disappointed with our meal at Opal.
I think the menu changes frequently, but here’s what we had:
— ny strip with fingerling potatoes (they were happy to trade a different potato for the bleu cheese mashed my stepfather didn’t want)
— salad with duck confit
— crab cake
— chicken breast, wild mushroom risotto and grilled endive
— vanilla bean ice cream (in a frozen bowl, no less)
— a chocolate cake /​brandy cream dessert with blackberries
I was a little underwhelmed by the size of the chicken dish (considering the price) but the accompaniments were lovely, very flavorful. The desserts were much larger than I would have expected, given the smaller size of the entrees.
I would not hesitate to recommend this to anyone who is comfortable paying for a higher-​end restaurant experience. I thought the service was excellent on all fronts.

To be honest, I was pretty disappointed. It’s very nice inside. I think other Unilocalers are using the terms warm and spacious, and I would agree. I did not find it loud inside, and we were there for several hours.
However, I didn’t find the food that great. I was really looking forward to the short ribs, which I love. They were tender, but weren’t very flavorful at all. Total disappointment. I had a lil food envy going on and kept looking longingly at my friend’s escolar. But, she made that disappear pretty quickly.
The baby mache salad was the best part of my meal, which is kinda sad. I shed a couple of tears at the end of dinner.
Oh, that the restaurant subscribes to the pile it up style of plate presentation. Everything is stacked up, and it has some funky coffee cups. Not very grippable, for those of you that are into gripping.

There’s a wonderful little thing about going out to eat that I’ve realized (being a Unilocaler) is a really rare thing to find. It’s called excellent service. You’d assume that it is a given when you go out and spend your hard earned dollars, but as we all know, it’s harder to come by than it really should be.
Unless you come here, to Opal. I had, by far, one of the nicest gentleman assist us with our wine choice for the evening and he really made the experience. He didn’t push the most expensive bottle. He didn’t shrug off our questions and push whatever bottle they were trying to unload on us. Instead he described in great and interesting detail the 3 bottles we asked about and worked with our palates to introduce us to a fantastic and might I add, reasonably priced, Pinot Noir and a delicious cheese plate to pair with it.
It really just reminded me of how awesome it is when you get good service. And I know there are a million and one reasons that shitty servers will throw out to try and justify their lack of ummmph, but I used to wait tables and it is not that hard to smile, be interested and love what you do… even if it is for the 5 hours you are on the floor.
Well done Opal, you truly are a gem!

Went here with my friends on NYE. The food and ambiance were just right. The service was a bit slow. I had the WILD BOAR – Yum and we all shared the Cheese Plate! That was extra good news. My friend did no tlike her fried anchovies on the side of her salad, but I loved em!
Everyone’s meal was de-​lish. I only dinged it down by one star because the service was a tad but slow-​ski.
I would recommend this place, AND I would definatly go back !

First off, with regards to food, I’ve only had the cheese plate. And split among 3 other people at that. From what I’ve seen on the menu, the food looks good, albeit slightly overpriced.
Now, let’s move on to more important things… the drinks. I have been here on 2 separate occasions and had 2 separate bartenders. Both were very friendly, professional, and poured perfect drinks.
Suppose I should make it past the bar next time to actually try the food…

This place just came out with a new menu, and I went there last week on the night of its debut (third week in July ’07) to sample it. They have an impressive selection of original drinks. I had the Mansana (apple) Margarita. It comes with pieces of sliced apple in the glass, and other than that it is a normal Margarita on the rocks in a tall glass. I expected more of an apple taste to the margarita, and it advertised fresh lime juice but there was none to be found in the glass. Still good though.
My other drink: The Opalescence. This is amazing. I don’t know what they put in, but it’s refreshing without being too sweet and fruity. It’s vodka, I know that, but there is something else amazing in there. It’s dry without a bad aftertaste…
I also had the red lox on crostini, which was soooooooo good. It was just sad that there was not more of this– it had basil olive oil and cheve, was drizzled with a light (unsweetened) whip cream. It was to die for, perfect for summer.
The cheese sampler apéritif was perfect. There were about five cheeses, and they come with accompaniments, such as almonds, honeycomb, balsamic reduction, etc.
The waitress, Shawnee, was sweet and full of correctly pronounced French descriptions of the menu items.
We had Guinness ice cream (light colored, malt tasting) with mascarpone/​meringue cookies for desert. I loved every bit.
The bartender came out to meet our group, and poured us the most amazing raspberry white chocolate shots, plus one for our server, them chef, and himself. I guess he liked our group… ;) Actually, we knew someone there. A little special treatment is always nice.
A side note– this bartender has been rated as one of the top two bartenders in Seattle.
In all, Opal has added to the transition of Upper Queen Anne into the of the moment the minute fresh neighborhood it is today.
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After many visits, Opal has not lost it’s touch. What sets Opal apart from the many other restaurants of the same type are two clear focal points: 1. Creativity in every dish, even the traditional ones. 2. Attention to every detail on every plate.
Another great addition to the experience: Opal’s staff take true pride in knowing the menu, and when it changes, they know it the first day around. On my last visit, we were just there for desert. I learned that our waiter was covering for someone, and it was his first day working at Opal, ever. Still, service was prompt, and he knew the entire menu. I asked all kinds of questions, and he was able to recommend several items for us, and talk extensively about the wine list as well.
Also, the cocktails! I love a good crafty cocktail, but I dislike overly sweet concoctions made with schnapps, etc. Opal comes up with new ones frequently, all with fresh ingredients and a tart bite.

Wow, you people are fast! It only opened on Friday, I thought for sure I’d get a «first to review». Anyway…
Anybody who had been in the former incarnation as Banjara will be astounded at the transformation the space has undergone. What was dowdy and utilitarian is now sexy and current. The bar is going to be a strong draw with a bartender who clearly knows what he’s doing.
The food is going to make this the second (
Pardon my shameless plug for an old favorite) destination restaurant on the hill (soon to be followed with Betty & Via Tribunali). Oddly, the menu descriptions were underwhelming and almost inaccurate as they understated the creativity of the food. The salmon appetizer (described as just about that) was actually soaked in junipers, creating the most unique taste. The «colored beats» were prepared with creamy goat cheese, though you wouldn’t know it from the menu. The «duck…duck…» was a breast served on confit with a bit of seared foie gras… fantastic except for the previously mentioned awkward serving dish. All in, a very strong showing, especially during a soft open.
Give them a week to sort out the details and this will be a competitive option at the upper end of the dining scale.
***Update 7/​25/​07***
I recently got to spend some time with the owner and bartender while waiting for some business associates. They’re extraordinarily nice people and clearly have listened to some of the feedback here and elsewhere. The awkward serving dishes are fixed, the menus are more descriptive, and the prices have come down a bit. The new menu looks phenomenal and I will be returning again soon.

Opal has astoundingly good food in a comfortably swank space at the corner of Queen Anne Ave North and Boston St. Food this delicious and artfully presented is rarely seen in Seattle, so you must try it.
The cider-​braised pork belly was garnished with shaved potato crisps and was perfectly slow cooked, allowing just the right amounting of flaking in the meat.
The duck breast was placed on a foie gras cake with fiddleheads and fava beans. It was in a cool flying saucer-​looking bowl, and was sprinkled lightly with chunks of sea salt that brought out the flavor and added excitement with an occasional crunch.
My favorite item was the smoked salmon on a toasted potato pancake. So many restaurants in Seattle offer dishes with salmon that few salmon dishes can really impress me, yet this dish was _​amazing_​.
Be sure to save room for the green tea and rhubarb dessert! Sliced rhubarb was crowed with a scoop of green tea ice cream and crisp caramel lace. It’s presented in a slanted egg-​shaped bowl with a swirl of blackberry sauce and crme anglais.
Our server, Joe, provided impeccable service and a perfect description of each dish.
They have a nice wine selection, including many great choices from Washington wineries. Their Opal Martini — vodka, grapefruit juice, and champagne over a single tart cherry — is a modern equivalent to the French 75. Enjoy one at one of the tables surrounding the bar, which offer a great vantage point of the restaurant and the foot traffic out on Queen Anne Avenue.