Opium is the name, Thai food is the drug

Written by Tim Blight

Writer, traveller, amateur photographer, teacher. Based in Melbourne and Lahore.

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September 13, 2013

Opium Thai

Good Thai food can be difficult to find in Pakistan, especially considering much of what gets passed off as Thai comes from the same kitchen as Chinese and subcontinental food in grubby streetside dhabas. For Lahoris who love their southeast Asian cuisine, salvation is at hand.

Opium Thai has been operating for a couple of years now as Lahore’s only stand-alone Thai specialty restaurant. From the outset, my friend and I are impressed by the name; it takes a certain cool boldness to name a restaurant after the substance which has wracked the economy of our neighbour, Afghanistan. The cool boldness carries through to the restaurant itself, where a neat bungalow just off MM Alam Road is surrounded by a lush garden lit with fairy lights strung from tall trees.

Opium Thai’s chilli chicken stir-fry and lemongrass and ginger fish.

Upon entering we are greeted with a suitably calm atmosphere; Buddhist art adorns the walls, while the televisions on the walls are thankfully on mute; they seemingly exist simply to add further colour to the room. We are shown to our table, where we are offered the lengthy menus. Opium Thai also offers Chinese cuisine (no doubt to capitalise on the mass popularity of that country’s food in Pakistan), however it is the subtle highlights of Thai that we are here for. On the maitre d’s suggestion we opt for the lemongrass and ginger fish and the chilli chicken stir-fry, served on delicious Garlic rice.

The fish is light and flaky; its sauce mild and smooth, although it could do with a bit more flavour. The star of the show is the chicken; the piping hot dish is dramatically presented with lots of peppers and sauce. We relate this to the maitre d’ who is eager to replace the fish for us, however we are quite happy to keep going with the dishes we have.

The classic Thai dishes at Opium Thai, such as Tom Yum Goong (spicy prawn soup) and Pad Thai get rave reviews. However as Momina Sibtain of The Express Tribune points out, Opium is not the place to come for a simple red curry, and the menu rewards patrons who are willing to experiment. Opium Thai also rewards those with deeper pockets; expect to pay between Rs. 1000 and Rs. 1500 a head, possibly more depending of how many courses you order. It is certainly worth the cost, but the price does place Opium Thai at the upper end of Lahore’s culinary market.

We leave with our bellies full and Thai cravings satisfied, vowing to return again. The verdict is that while the dishes are certainly delicious, they aren’t always exactly authentic – consider the Thai broth hot pot which is on offer, a proudly Chinese-Thai hybrid. Additionally, the dishes pander a little to the Pakistani love of gravy-based dishes – the stir fry comes with more sauce than I’m accustomed to for such a dish. However if it’s Thai you’re after – and it’s not that easy to find in these parts – then Opium Thai should just hot the spot.