Origin Dining, Willoughby

We paid a visit to Origin Dining a few weeks ago because I was tugging at the bit for a change of scenery. I'd figured that parking in Willoughby would be simple enough due to the substantial size of its residential district, but it was actually pretty difficult to find a spot. Nevertheless, we managed to find a place and made our way down to the restaurant.

Upon arrival, I was struck by how little floor space they had - if you imagine a rectangular prism and dissect it length-wise, one half consisted of an open kitchen, while the other half was made up of 5 or 6 tables that sat 4 people each. This also meant that throughout our whole visit, the smells wafting from the stove were very tantalising.

Origin seems like a good place for groups - every dish is accompanied by an option to go a size larger in order to share it with your dinner partner.

We decided to share the entree - a salad of chickpeas, quinoa, capsicum, feta cheese, coriander and pine nuts. I was expecting the quinoa to be sprinkled around the dish like cous cous or rice, but it was formed into starchy cubes.  It took some getting used to, and the dressing was a bit sour, but the creaminess of the feta helped to balance everything out. It really grew on me - though it was a bit of a pity that there wasn't more dressing, as the overall dish was dry.

Quinoa salad ($14.00)

We waited for about an hour after our entrees were collected for the mains to arrive, during which I became well-acquainted with their "Life is Short, Eat Dessert First" sign.
 
The scotch fillet came with bordelaise sauce, watercress, caramelised onions and a bowl of fries. It was average - not unpleasant to eat, but not particularly memorable.

Scotch fillet ($28.00)

My dish was lamb rib eye with chickpeas, borlotti beans, and olives. Tasting slightly curried, as well as being moist and tender, I have to say that this was more flavoursome than the beef and my favourite for the night.

Lamb ($24.00)

In summary, Origin Dining is a slightly pricey neighbourhood restaurant that's worth checking out - just don't plan to visit when you're in a rush or if you know you'll be experiencing hunger pangs at 9pm!