Food Review: Opium, 191 Hope Street, Glasgow

Dim sum Opium Asian fusion restaurant Glasgow

We’d been meaning to visit Opium for years, mainly because we love dim sum and they have a dim sum menu, but just never got around to it until recently…

Opium Asian fusion restaurant Glasgow

It was mid-week and we were the first diners there – inside the décor is minimal: grey walls, candle light and small ceiling lights.  Mr Foodie picked a Alshan mocktail (£4.00) with lychee and guava juice which was fruity and refreshing while Mrs Foodie went for some floral jasmine tea (£2). NB: if you run out of tea they will re-fill the pot with hot water for no additional charge.

The dim sum was available so we decided to stick to these and eat Chinese tapas style…

Opium Asian fusion restaurant Glasgow
Thai Prawn Crackers

Some Thai prawn crackers and zingy chilli sauce to dip whilst waiting.

Opium Asian fusion restaurant Glasgow
Soft shell crab £6.00

We both love soft shell crab, so looked forward to this one, however the taste wasn’t as lively as the presentation. The garlic, spring onion, coriander and chilli tingle that you get in places like Asia Style, Banana Leaf or Rumours Kopitiam just wasn’t there so it was bland by soft shell crab standards.

Opium Asian fusion restaurant Glasgow
Seasonal vegetables in carrot pastry £4.50

Interesting colour, however sadly nothing interesting with the taste.

Opium Asian fusion restaurant Glasgow
Har Gau – king prawn & bamboo shoots in spinach pastry £4.90

The Har Gau were delicious.  Chunky prawn, not the usual prawn mush.  Loved the colour as well.  Could have happily sat and munched these all night.

Opium Asian fusion restaurant Glasgow
Salmon and fennel dumpling £4.90

Lightly flavoured and tasty.  Mixture of salmon chunks and minced fish.  Very moreish.  Mrs Foodie isn’t a fennel fan but was happy to eat these.

Opium Asian fusion restaurant Glasgow
Crab meat dumpling £4.90

Crab and prawn meat covered in a light pastry wrapper.  Crispy pastry, not greasy with chunky meat inside.

Opium Asian fusion restaurant Glasgow
Cordycep flower and tofu dumpling £4.50

Another one which was a bit tasteless, it needed a dollup of soy sauce.

Opium Asian fusion restaurant Glasgow
Chinese chive wor tip £4.50

Again fair to middling, where were all the fragrant spices we were hoping for?

Opium Asian fusion restaurant Glasgow
XO Scallop Dumpling £6.50

Minced scallop lightly coated in XO sauce.  Easy to eat with a light XO tingle.

Opium Asian fusion restaurant Glasgow
Kung Pao Chicken Toast £6.00

Not very spicy, just enough to enhance the flavour.  The side dip was like a spiced up brown sauce.  Not fatty and greasy like normal toasts.

Opium Asian fusion restaurant Glasgow
Shanghai Mini Bun £4.90

These little buns were bland.  Minced pork with ginger and garlic?  If only the ginger and garlic could be tasted!

The service and ambience were just right but the food was quite disappointing, especially for the money. Our bill came to £57.60 and no alcohol or desserts were had. Ouch!

Music interesting – not very Chinesey at first and then a Chinese(?) version of the girl from Ipanema came on! Toilets clean.

 

TL;DR
+ fresh dim sum
+ friendly service
+ some of the dum sum are really tasty

– while others are bland and disappointing
– dim sum menu expensive

Emma

Emma

Hello!

I am Emma and with my husband Mark write Foodie Explorers, which is a food and travel website.

I am a member of the Guild of Food Writers and British Guild of Travel Writers.

We have a wide range of judging experience covering products, hotels and have judged, for example, for Great Taste Awards and Scottish Baker of the Year.

Along the way Mark gained WSET Level 2 in Wine and I have WSET Level 2 in Spirits as well as picking up an award with The Scotsman Food and Drink Awards.    

Usually I can be found sleeping beside a cat.

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