PHOTOGRAPH BY CATHERINE VIOX
The new eatery atop the Republic Bank Building in Covington has quickly vaulted its way onto the short list of best views in Greater Cincinnati. But it made this list because the food reaches enticing heights as well.
The hip-ly minimal menu (many of the dishes have one syllable names like “Duck” or “Fish”) centers around the restaurant’s 88-inch wood-fired grill. Since said grill is a rarity in the region, Executive Chef Eric Polhamus and Chef de Cuisine Craig Lewis (both formerly of Branch) scouted out accommodating restaurants in Columbus and Detroit to see the 2,200-pound grill in action. You can taste the grill’s handiwork on the cauliflower appetizer, which also comes with citrus supremes, fennel pollen (a potent and rather pricey spice), salsa brava (a smoky Mediterranean sauce, not to be confused with the ubiquitous Latin American salsa), feta, and almonds. Usually, when a seemingly simple dish is followed by a laundry list of ingredients, it’s a bad sign, but at Opal, the pantry’s-worth of ingredients are well-balanced and rarely cover up the grilled flavor.
The duck is also an excellent grilled dish. The kiss of flame locks in the duck’s juices while a medley of wheatberry hominy, preserved cherry, and cane syrup gastrique (a sort of refined sweet-and-sour sauce made from caramelized sugar and vinegar) add the sweetness that one expects to flavor a good game bird. The accompanying Brussels sprouts are soft and tangy, steeped in a red wine sauce.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CATHERINE VIOX
According to Owner Bill Whitlow (who, with his wife Morgan, also owns Rich’s Proper Food & Drink and Hangry Omar’s), Opal’s menu started small as the team figured out which dishes worked best with its signature grill. The selections, like the restaurant, have continued to grow. You can expect tweaks and seasonal changes to a menu this committed to fresh meat and produce.
As for the name, I am told that “Opal” was chosen because of the way the precious gemstone captures light to produce an ever-changing view. In this case, it’s a brilliant view, lit by fire.
535 Madison Ave., Covington, (859) 261-0629, opalrooftop.com
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