Optimistically Cautious: Great for Sharing: OPM Wok 'n Cocktail Bar

Annie and I had tried OPM (1820 99 Street) in South Edmonton Common a few weeks after they opened, and like most restaurants that attempted to ride the fusion wave (L'Azia comes to mind as well), we thought it failed miserably.

OPM was the location of Megan's birthday dinner on Saturday, and a gathering of friends wasn't a bad reason to give the restaurant another go. By the time Mack and I arrived, quite a sizable group were already seated at one of the long, high tables in the lounge.

Mack and I decided to split two dishes. OPM's citrus spin on his perennial favorite, the Orange Ginger Beef ($13.49), was a no-brainer, while our second selection was geared toward my personal craving for a noodle of some sort - the 'Old World' Chow Mein ($12.49), egg noodles tossed with chicken, bbq pork, black beans and vegetables.

For a busy Saturday night (no reservations, of course), and such a large party, I was pleasantly surprised that our food seemed to take no time at all. Though the plates themselves appeared to be small, the servings turned out to be quite filling. I actually ended up enjoying the ginger beef more, complete with a guilty side of those crunchy fried noodles often found atop "Asian"-style salads. In my opinion, the chow mein was too bland, though Mack enjoyed it well enough.

All in all, I thought their tapas menu functioned quite well to encourage sharing among friends, and as long as you aren't expecting "authentic" Asian cuisine, the service and decent food doesn't make for a bad night out.

The rest of the pictures are here.