Opso: Greek flavours with a modern twist

Opso is my new favourite restaurant. It’s located on Paddington Street, just off of Marylebone High Streets and sits in the space that used to be Ping Pong. I’m quite happy about the change in occupants. Gone are the dark, tired looking interiors of Ping Pong, now replaced by the airy light wood interiors of Opso.

And now, anytime I want to go out for a meal, I keep veering back to Opso. So much so, that I’ve tried pretty much most of their menu which is full of inventive creations using classic Greek flavours to the best results.

Here are some of the dishes I've tried:

The Taramas Cream is a cod roe spread served with rye crackers. These are utterly more-ish and hit the right note of tasting just like how a good fish roe spread should taste (i.e. creamy and lush without being too fishy).

Another favourite is the Grouper Tartare - a unique fish tartare tangled with fresh fragrant herbs.

The Fish Burgers are clever innovative sliders of lightly fried grouper fish encased between two squid ink buns and sweetish tomato jam and is served with the yummiest of chips  and more of the squid ink in the aioli. Sheer perfection.

The Metsovone Cheese is a fried oval disc of smoked cheese that has a lovely crumbly crunchy outer coating which when cut open reveals gloriously oozing stringy cheese. Paired with a rhubarb jam to add the right amount of tartness to cut through all that cheese!

The Pastitsio is their take on a lasagne but much more lighter and tastier: Greek pasta with slow cooked beef, a sweetish tomato sauce and béchamel sauce. It isn't the prettiest dish on the plate but if you’re craving a carb-heavy dish, this totally hits the spot.

The Chicken Liver Mousse is served in a little jar with apricot jam. It’s a nice light way to start the meal and is a good brunch option.

Perhaps the only dish that didn’t knock my socks off was the Chicken Drumsticks in a lemon and oregano sauce. That being said, my friend did enjoy this dish of slow cooked chicken.

Another good dish is the Cod Tempura with roast beetroots and walnuts, though with a price tag of £16 for such a small portion, I’m wary of ordering it again.

That’s the only thing I’d be a bit careful of at Opso – ordering all these dishes can add up. It’s not clear on the menu what the portion size is or whether it’s more of starter or main course so you’re not entirely sure how many dishes to order. It’s a good idea to check with your server. Though take note, they are quite new and have a couple of inexperienced servers wandering around.

To sum up, Opso has a lot of fun and innovative dishes to try which you can’t really get anywhere else. I totally recommend checking if out if you’re in Marylebone or close to Baker Street.