Review

It takes a special something to retain your sparkle in Bangkok's firmament of Italian dining spots. And its enduring popularity with a hip clientele is testament to the formidable staying power of Opus. Like other mainstays around the city, the venue owes its longevity to smart management as well as gastronomic flair. In the case of Opus, Alex Morabito is the man with the plan. The owner is a hands-on presence, maintaining a rapport with customers that is charming without being overbearing. It helps too that he is an expert oenophile who applies his knowledge and passion for Italian wines to a collection of over 400 bottles. Indeed, you could spend happy evenings kicking back in one of the restaurant's luxe leather chairs with just a Tuscan example and a platter of Italian tapas featuring morsels like arancini, carpaccio and calamari. Opus, however, has greater culinary ambitions. A dish like creamy burratina from Apulia with tomatoes showcases simplicity and provenance - the one-two punch that exemplifies the best Italian food. But Opus succeeds on a scale befitting its name with mains like a perfectly salted, slightly smoky pan-seared swordfish and a classic cacio e pepe that nudged towards the stratosphere due to the addition of Sicilian red prawns.