OPPEN — Restaurant in Melbourne

I honestly couldn't believe...

How GOOD this place was.

Everyone who knows ÖPPEN knows the for their brunch offerings, but not enough people know about their dinner.

My partner and I celebrated a personal milestone recently, so she thoughtfully booked us a dinner here.

We came in without any expectations, and left having (and I'm not exaggerating) one of the best dinner experiences of my life.

Appetiser:

Ham Hock Croquettes

These were amazing to start! The ham hock was incredibly tasty and the kumquat flavour surprisingly meshed really well!

Small:

Pan Seared Scallop w/ Kohirabi, Burnt Chive & Bisque

The Scallops were perfectly seared and incredibly flavourful.

Meatballs w/ Pomme Puree & Pickled Cucumber

The Meatballs came with some of the best pickles I've ever had (with a hint of sweetness), and a beautiful pomme puree.

Mains:

Beef Cheek Ragu w/ Housemade Gnocchi

The texture of the Gnocchi was INSANELY GOOD! Definitely the best I've ever had. The Beef cheek was so tender it literally was melting in my mouth.

Grassfed Bass Strait Sirloin Steak w/ Liver Parfait

We had our steak medium rare, which came pre-sliced, perfectly salted and in jus.

Surprisingly, the Liver Parfait was the star of this dish for us, and we asked to take it home to pair with crackers or bread!

Side:

French Fries w/ Aioli

I can't believe how good these fries were. Seriously the best fries I've ever had (and I've had a LOT of fries).

The Aioli was good but the real surprise was just how crispy and flavour-packed the fries were.

The initial crunch was perfect, followed by fluffy potato and leaving you with an incredible after-taste.

I seriously don't know how these were prepared so well.

Dessert:

Chocolate Mousse w/ Olive & Mandarin

I was astonished at how well these flavours went together.

I expected the sweetness of the mouse mixed with the tang from mandarin; What DIDN'T expect was how the kick of saltiness of the olive completed the experience so well.

Staff:

Garvin served our table for 2 and catered to our every need perfectly.

As we had some alcoholic drinks, he kindly provided sparkling lemon water (free of charge) to keep us refreshed for the drive home.

Zume the Chef was incredibly kind and friendly, even offering to help pack the rest of delicious meal for takeaway.

Atmosphere:

The restaurant has a very rustic, lo-fi mood that is perfect for a romantic night out with a loved one or a casual weekend dinner with the family.

The restaurant was empty when we arrived at around 7:00pm and I'm honestly shocked how this is even possible, especially after tasting their food.

Conclusion:

ÖPPEN's dinner offerings are an ACTUAL hidden gem of a restaurant in Windsor, and I implore ANYONE who is looking for amazing, affordable food; Book your next dinner...

The food is wonderful (really really wonderful) but it is let down a little by the very careless service.

The night I went was very cold and they didn’t put the heater on and guests were having dinner in puffer jackets.

Also they don’t clear away your plates, even when they come to take a drink order or food order. They just walk off leaving them there. We had dirty plates and glasses on our table the whole night.

They never offered water all night.

Also, I noticed times when food was left waiting on the pass after it had been made for quite a while before it was taken to the customers because the waiter was making a cocktail or something.

I think if the waiter was a little more focused it would be a much more high end place. The food is sensational but the service, although friendly, really lets the whole place down. The waiter isn’t very good at multitasking.

I love the food, so I will return but things like leaving the heating off, leaving dirty dishcloths on the tables, leaving the kitchen door open to a view of a rubbish bin are all little things that detract from a special night at a restaurant. It also makes me too ashamed to recommend the place to friends. Even though the food is good, I don’t think my friends could tolerate the atmosphere created by the sub par service. (Service is very friendly, just not very competent).

Please Oopen train your waiter to offer water, clear plates, prioritize getting food to the table, and considering customer comfort more and you will have a flourishing,...

Food was excellent and the kitchen staff (visible as you enter) appeared to be friendly and happy. The low rating reflects problems with the front of house. The let down was a busy father's day where the order for the father (Ham Hock Benedict) was not put through! When the food was served, it did not even cross the waitress' mind that someone at the table did not have any food. We made reservations 2 days prior, and no table was reserved or prepared. The table offered needed a wipe down, which was done only upon request. We asked for sugar, nothing arrived, so I was happy to take a sugar bowl from another empty table. We asked for a takeaway box, nothing arrived, so we took the plate to the front. They were understaffed, and cheekily included a 10% weekend surcharge. A surcharge would be justifiable if they had enough staff to provide a reasonable service. When the Ham Hock Benedict arrived, there was 5% Ham Hock and 95% tossed wok vegetables. The description should be changed to Tossed Wok Vegetable Benedict. Unfortunately, the effort to make amends by waiving the surcharge fee for the missed order was done through a gritted smile, and disguised displeasure! It seems like a thriving business, but cutting corners, and being stingy...