Following the enormous success of Wildfire at Sydney’s Overseas Passenger Terminal, restaurateur Tonci Farac is broadening his horizons to the space
right next door! His new venture, Opium, is sure to take Sydney by storm.

Opium conjures up the mystery of the East, which fittingly describes the cuisine on offer. The view may be a little different but the Opera House is still slapbang in your face as is the crystal blue harbour.

"It’s contemporary Asian," notes Farac who, with business partner and executive chef Mark Miller has created what is one of Sydney’s most eclectic menus.

"We’ve taken the best from four great Asian cuisines and fused them into one – Chinese, Thai, Japanese and Vietnamese, borrowing both the traditional and modern elements of each."

Examples from the menu include:

• hor-mok steamed baby fish cakes in
  banana leaf cups
• tea smoked quail with szechuan eggplant
  salad
• mud crab wok fried with salt/pepper,
  coriander & garlic
• chang mai red curry bbq duck with jack
  fruit, preserved duck egg & lychee
• coconut five spice panna cotta with
  warm poppy seed cake & citrus sorbet

"It’s meant to be eaten in the Chinese manner, with everyone sharing banquet style," continues Farac.

"Our executive chefs John Pye (formerly of The Bell Inn at Aston Clinton, UK a two Michelin Star restaurant) has come across from Wildfire and I have
lured the wonderfully talented young chef Raita Nodo from the Japanese Restaurant Rise to collaborate on the menu. Plus our legendary pastry chef from
Wildfire, Mark Stone, is also on the team."

Mark Miller - internationally renowned chef - specialises in Asian food and has run many Asian inspired restaurants including Loongbar in San Francisco. Mark also owns a restaurant in Thailand and consults for the Japanese Rice Council as well as three major restaurants throughout Asia. He has recently been in Australia ‘signing off’ the exceptional menu. The wine list is also eclectic with a focus on aromatic whites and low oak reds. A wide selection
of Asian and local boutique beers is also on offer.

There will also be a dim sum bar for the lunch trade as well as a private dining room called ‘Poppy.’