March 28, 2024

Executive Lifestyles - Dining & Spirits

Impressive Debut

Robert W. Tolf | 8/1/2006

opus 5

5050 town center circle, Boca raton
opus5boca.com
| 561/544-8000

I seldom review a restaurant in its first days or even weeks of operation, believing it wise to allow time for a few shakedown cruises (and ignoring the counterargument that as long as a restaurant is charging the customer, its performance can be seriously considered).

There's certainly no lack of new restaurants to try in booming Boca, with such enclaves of eating excellence as Boca Center, where I found myself in the newest of the new, Opus 5, the second night it was open. That was hard to believe as the evening went so smoothly. But the basic layout, the floor plan, allowed easy movement of staff and guests, those seated at a separate large bar and those at well-spaced tables, handsomely appointed and certainly very well served by the staff -- who gave every indication of being on board much longer than a few days. The high-ceilinged kitchen is on view from the side and far enough away to greatly reduce kitchen interference -- noise, smoke and smells. Supervision was obvious in the level of performance -- not in drill sergeant manner but by strategically placed staffers quietly guaranteeing a smooth flow.


Applewood smoked salmon served with salmon caviar, ginger fraiche and nori cracker.

Opus 5 has a very exciting menu -- modern American bistro in concept -- and an endless parade of added attractions such as the yuzu-soy glaze on sizzling calamari; the Laura Chenel goat cheese and balsamic syrup flattering truffled portobello tart; applewood smoked salmon served with salmon caviar, ginger creme fraiche and nori crackers; and the steamed whitewater clams with cherry peppers, capers and lemon with garlic crostini. Four of the nine appetizers are priced from $9 to $16.

The eight soups and salads ($6 to $10) include the "Buddha" Asian Caesar with spiced cashews and wonton crisps and a seven-vegetable melange with ginger- miso dressing and hydroponic bibb lettuce. Then there are five entree salads priced from $15 for a grilled chicken breast-apple walnut-Maytag blue cheese combo with apple cider dressing, to $28 for wasabi-crusted petite filet mignon with Asian veggies, spiced cashews, soba noodles and mixed greens with gingermiso dressing. The five seafood selections ($23 to $32) show similar clever combinations of flavors with a glaze of pomegranate and cashew-vegetable stir-fry for the pan-roasted wild salmon and a cucumberseaweed salad with asparagus nori roll for the mustard-crusted tuna teriyaki in an orange mango sauce.

The eight landlocked entrees range from $19 for charcoal-roasted organic chicken with asparagus and wild rice in lemon-thyme jus to $38 for prime New York Strip with organic spinach gratin and Opus' own steak sauce.

Again, quite a performance for a restaurant that's so new, able to deliver with such panache. But then, this is not just another new restaurant. This is a Burt Rapoport restaurant. Rapoport as in Rapoport's Dairy Restaurant on New York's Lower East Side, opened in 1920; Rapoport as in the Miami six-link Raffles Bar and Grill operation with partner Dennis Max, who developed a quartet of highly successful Prezzo operations from North Palm Beach to Miami and Max's Grille in Boca. Rapoport independently then opened a pair of real winners, Mon Ami in Boca, (1400 Glades Road, 561/394-2428, monamiboca.com) and Henry's in Delray Beach (16850 Jog Road, 561/638-1949, henrysofbocaraton.com).

Rapoport has a remarkable restaurant resume. Opus 5 is a fitting capstone clearly operating at Golden Spoon level.

Tags: Dining & Travel, Southeast

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