A warm, cozy, dim lit space. Kind of has an "underground" feel. Came here for F's birthday last week.

I ordered the Smoked Beetroot Risotto with Scallops. Two large scallops, a little charred taste, medium rare inside. The risotto is a bright red from the beet, but doesn't taste like beets. Creamy but not heavy, with bits of tomato, hazelnut and dark chocolate (couldn't taste/see?). I liked it but wish it was warmer.

 

Came here for B's birthday - somehow ended up at another tapas place. A very minimalist, no-frills decor - bare walls, wood floors, light wood tables, black chairs. Food was light with Philipino influences. The broccoli salad and tuna ceviche were the most unique. Plating choices were interesting as well.



Started with anchovies toast - 2 tiny toasts for $6! But it was good, very flavorful anchovies & red pepper spread on a too-crispy toast.

Albacore Tuna - a ceviche in coconut mik, served with cassava chips. Surprised that the tuna chunks were quite big enough for a good bite, and worked well with the coconut milk - a different take than the usual lime juice.

Broccoli Salad - blanched and fried broccoli (couldn't see or taste the fried part?), with serrano ham (my fav) and crispy fried shallots in a mustard seed dressing. Very refreshing take on broccoli.
Brussels Sprouts - a warm dish, I like how it was cooked so that you couldn't taste the usual bitterness from brussels sprouts.

Adobo Chicken - my least favorite; the fried chicken, while juicy, wasn't crispy as i expected and it was served as 3 mini burgers in a lunch box. Brioche bun was a bit dry.

Dessert - poached pear. Great ginger icecream with a dry cake. Thank you Hudson Kitchen for this complementary dessert for my boyfriend's birthday!

For my birthday this year, my family & I went to Origin North. A trendy space (like a more upscale version of Joey) that serves Asian Fusion dishes good for sharing.


Bangkok Beef Salad - peanut, mint, mango, glass noodles, nam jim dressing
- A light dish to start with. I like the beef in the dressing.


Japanese Tuna Salad - asian pear, avocado, spicy ponzu
- Description from the website but not sure I had Asian pear in mine. Another light dish with some seaweed, cucumber and crispy rice. I prefer the beef salad.


Thai Curried Shrimp + naan bread
- Mmm I love the soft and warm naan!
- Curry was flavorful with hints of coconut, sweetness and spice
- Shrimp was big and nicely cooked; chickpeas and zucchini also in the curry


Origin Burger - smoked mayonnaise, avocado, arugula
- Very big, thick burger, not oily
- Love the fries! It has that burnt/oil flavor vs the fluffy, starchy type fries.




Rigatoni - ricotta, squash, sage, hazelnuts
- Yet another light, mild dish despite being pasta. The sauce is just a very light oil based sauce, with tiny bits of squash.
- I liked the touch of hazelnuts and ricotto cheese to give it more flavor.
- The pasta itself is al dente and very big, making it a bit difficult to chew!

 
They generously gave me complimentary dessert for my birthday! The candle came in a bowl of coffee beans to give that nice aroma.


Chocolate Crunch Bar + huckleberry sorbet
- My complimentary dessert which ended up being the best of the night! I was skeptical reading the "chocolate bar" on the menu, but it was a decadent, full flavor chocolate, almost like a mousse but more dense. Huckleberry sorbet gave it a nice berry freshness.

Overall, I had a good dining experience at Origin. The ambiance was intimate and good for special occassions and group gatherings. The food wasn't anything out of this world, but still good.