Hotel Opal

The food was delicious, and the portions were enough. We had jhunka, bhakari and baingan curry, and enjoyed every bite. I used to visit hotel opal in 1996-2000, when it had a traditional Maharashtrian look that still feels nostalgic to me. The ambience is modern now, but I still like the old opal best.

Opal Restaurant in Kolhapur was a big disappointment. The only thing that was remotely edible was the lemon soda, and even that came with salt after I asked for it without. The pandhra rassa was average and didn’t make up for the rest. The mutton alni rice tasted like onion and masala rice with hing and haldi, without any mutton. The chicken lollypop was bland, and some pieces seemed undercooked, which raised a hygiene concern. Worst was the mutton fry: it smelled bad and seemed stale. It came out in about two minutes, so we suspected it had been cooked earlier and left sitting. We couldn’t eat it and threw it away. When we told the manager, he just said, “Let me check,” then brought the bill. It felt dismissive, with no accountability. The place seems to run on hype, and the food quality has declined a lot, possibly because a new generation is running it. For Kolhapuri flavors, I’d choose The Thali or Hotel Carnival instead. 1/5, don’t waste your time or money.

The food was so poor that I felt the money was wasted. The pandhra rassa was bland, and the mutton alani bhat was like plain fodni cha bhaat with a turmeric tadka and hing, with no trace of mutton. The chicken lollipop was half-cooked, unsafe and unappetizing; the mutton fry smelled foul, tasted bad, and we couldn’t eat it. The manager showed neither courtesy nor an apology. I’ve also seen the owner refuse to acknowledge problems in replies to other customers, which is troubling. Food quality and service both need a lot of improvement, and progress can’t happen without accepting feedback. It doesn’t deserve even one star. If I could rate it zero, I would.

After nearly five years away, going back to Hotel Opel Kolhapur felt like returning to a food tradition the city is proud of. The place has served food lovers around the city, state and country for over 100 years, and it still feels like an institution. We chose a vegetarian meal this time, although the hotel is well known for its mutton and chicken rassa, including tambda, the red spicy curry, and pandhra rassa, the mild white stew. The Vegetarian Thali was a feast. The green peas subzi and mixed veg were cooked just right with Kolhapuri spices. I was especially surprised by the smooth, comforting vegetarian pandhra rassa. Soft rotis, mango Shrikhand, fresh fruit salad, dahi-kanda with crunchy onions in curd, and crisp papads rounded it out. Other family members had Veg Kolhapuri, which was bold, spicy and full of flavor. The service was warm, polite and quick. The ambience keeps its old-school charm while still feeling comfortable for families. The taste has stayed consistent over the years, and this nostalgic visit made it a fresh favorite again. If you’re in Kolhapur, whether local or visiting from Maharashtra or elsewhere in India, Hotel Opel is a must-visit. It keeps winning people over, one plate at a time.