Good Eats: Origin

Deviled Eggs

Cornish Hen Adobo

My colleague recommended Origin Restaurant & Bar (107 King St E) to me for dinner with Liz last month. I had seen it in passing last summer but had not given it much thought until it came up in conversation a few months ago. I was wracking my brain for a great restaurant and Origin came to mind. I made last-minute reservations on the day of our dinner and proceeded to meet Liz at Union Station.

Origin was about a fifteen-minute walk from Union and was not difficult to find. We entered the beautifully-decorated restaurant just before our 7:00pm reservation and were promptly seated close to the window with a great view of bustling King St E. We took our time to decide on what to order. In the end, Liz ordered the Origin beef burger while I ordered the Cornish Hen Adobo and the Deviled Eggs to start. We also ordered a couple of beers (a Kronenberg Blanc for me!) for the wait.

The Deviled Eggs arrived first, followed by Liz's burger and my Cornish Hen Adobo. Each dish was spectacular in its own right. While I cannot speak for the beef burger, I can definitely say with full confidence that the Deviled Eggs and the Cornish Hen Adobo were phenomenal in every sense of the word. The Deviled Eggs had an element of crunch to them, thanks to the souffletines, and had a great balance between sour and salt, thanks to the egg and the bacon. The Cornish Hen Adobo was equally impressive and was, again, a balance of sweetness from the mashed plantain, tartness from the mole, and salt from the Cornish Hen. Rarely have I come upon a restaurant that takes all of the elements (i.e., taste, texture, and quality) in a great dish into account.

There is no question that I will go back to Origin again in the future. As it was recommended to me, I now recommend it to you. It is a great setting for a special occasion or a fancier dinner out with friends. Bon apetit!