Giorgios Bakatsias was recently looking over his newest Wilmington restaurant, as workers organized the final push to open the doors to Opa by Giorgios.
"You can be on paper and sketch it all day long, but until you get into the space and start creating the vibe and feeling, you never know what it is," he said.
In this case, it's a restaurant on the Cape Fear River that will offer a slice of coastal Greece with a two-story olive tree, vibrant hand-painted Grecian murals, and a menu of mezze and seafood.
Opa will join other Wilmington-area eateries from the Giorgios Hospitality & Lifestyle Group such as G Prime Steak & Cellar, Tomiko-San, Kipos Hellenic Cuisine and Fortuna Cocina Italiana, which opened earlier this yearnear Mayfaire. At all of them,
Bakatsias has a way of creating dynamic restaurant spaces.
Setting the scene
At Opa, one of the standouts is the centerpiece inspired by a 2,000-year-old olive tree that's somewhere between sculpture and reality.
"The essence of it is timeless," he said.
There's also large-scale artwork from local artist Arianne Hemlein, who has also contributed to other Giorgios restaurants. But some other details matter just as much to Bakatsias, like the subtle design in the marble on the bar top and a series of sculptural overhead lights from Brazil that evoke the changing moon.
There's also a raw seafood station. "As a Greek coastal, we want to bring the kitchen out. It's part of our thing," he said. For the same reason, there's a look of the classic Greek whitewash at the restaurant, too.
Opa will feature extensive outdoor seating, a courtyard-like series of tables around the olive tree, and an upstairs area with another bar and patio.
"It's a restaurant first, but later after 10 o'clock, after you finish dinner, you could have a little more playfulness with music," Bakatsias said.
Meet the chef
Bakatsias is working with Chef Renato Mekolli, who he said has an impressive background. The chef has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants in Greece and at the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne in Miami. He's also a cookbook author, and has television experience, too -- as host of "Hell’s Kitchen Albania" and a judge on "MasterChef Albania."
Bakatsias said he has a lot of experience with high-volume operations, which could be useful with Opa's 300 seats.
As for the menu, he said it will be simple and delicious.
"Ingredient is the superstar. Simplicity is the way of life," he said. "Sometimes olive oil and good sea salt is more than enough."
Look for several shareable, small plates in a Meze section, perhaps grilled sardines and a savory baklava, and a selection of local seafood that is "barely touched." There will also be a selection of entrees, like Mediterranean Sea Bass, Lobster Hilopites, Greek Lamb Chops, and 24-Hour Lamb Shank.
Bakatsias said he hopes to open mid-October at 14 Harnett St. in downtown Wilmington.
Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews.You can reach her at aballard@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: First look at new restaurant bringing coastal Greece to Wilmington
