Seasonal ingredients are bittersweet for owners Russell and Jessica Aldredge and the staff at Origin Kitchen + Bar. The melancholy of saying good-bye to summer’s sweet berries and lightly citrus flavorings are met with enthusiasm and exploration of autumn’s hearty meats and vegetables. Origin Kitchen + Bar, featuring eclectic American cuisine with a focus on fiercely fresh, expertly-sourced, seasonal ingredients for both its food and drink offerings, recently launched a fall/winter menu.
The adventurous creativity and spirit of Executive Chef Scott Tobey, formally of Stephan Pyles, shines in his modern approach to cooking. With only a short walk to a small refrigerator housing his ingredients – no large walk-in can be found at the restaurant – Chef Tobey and his talented team produce stellar seasonal dishes daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Highlights of the new menu include the colorful Braised Beet Salad (in photo) with seared Palhais goat cheese, garden greens, pistachios and lemonette dressing; Duck and Dumplings, a comfort dish of confit thigh, gnocchi, baby root vegetables and a Dijon veloute sauce; and the Squash Cup, a vegetarian’s delight of bruleed acorn squash, peppered wheatberry, pomegranate, crispy kale, and walnut mousse.
For entrees, don’t miss the Panang Short Ribs combined with vermicelli, sea beans, carrot curls and coconut curry, Berkshire Pork Chop accented with butter braised artichoke, crispy Jamon Serrano, and smoked caper berries, and the Flounder Pinwheel complimented with queso fresco sweet potato cake, spicy fumet and chiffonade cilantro.
Not only is Origin attentive to seasonal food dishes but also a seasonal cocktail menu. Bar Manager Myles York focuses on whiskey-based recipes to warm the soul, such as King in the North (Bruichladdich Scottish Barley and Di Saronno), John’s Remedy (Jameson Irish Whiskey, Luxardo, Chinese Bitters) and Good Ole Boy (Death’s Door Whiskey, Pineapple Juice and Lime Simple Syrup), among other spirited concoctions. The drink menu boasts a simple but impressive boutique wine list and craft beers, many originating from Texas. Origin brews coffee excellence using Dallas’s own Cultivar Coffee and offers numerous espresso and tea options.
