Opiate of the Masses
Opium at the Hard Rock Opens This Friday

It was bound to happen.

Sooner or later the nightlife-hungry masses in Broward would lure a Miami outfit north to nest amongst the slot machines and blackjack tables.

And here it is: Opium, your new Indochine-inspired megaclub at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, soft-opens this Friday with a Cirque du Soleil-style party worth braving weekend traffic for.

The recently shuttered South Beach outpost of Opium was a mere kitten-lounge compared to this tiger of a venue. Think of this spot as the place you'll want to go to party like an ancient Chinese monarch (if he was into Baccarat crystal chandeliers and Andy Warhol lithographs).

Start with a cocktail in the main Shangri-La room, decked out with silk lanterns, French wallpaper and towering Buddha statues. Slide back to the more intimate French Boudoir room, where bottle service takes place at Parisian chaise sofas (the more the merrier), and finally plunge into a crocodile-upholstered couch in the VIP mezzanine.

The overall feel is Marie Antoinette with a Crouching Tiger twist, with you playing the role of naughty aristocrat.

The Friday preview is set to blow your mind with fire-breathing dragon dancers, Geisha-like contortionists and a bevy of the neighboring county's high-profile beauties.

Sometimes it's good to branch out…