{Review} Summerlicious lunch at Origin North

Website: http://originnorth.com/
Twitter Handle: https://mobile.twitter.com/originnorth
Address: 2901 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON
When I visited: July 2015, Summerlicious lunch, 3 people
Rating: $$, 3.5

I have only been to the King. St location years ago, so I was excited to give Origin North a try. I recall seeing Chef/Owner Claudio Aprile’s beautiful Origin North restaurant on episodes of MasterChef Canada and really wanted to see the large space in person. The restaurant is in the parking lot outside the upscale Bayview Village. The interior was huge; a perfect spot for a corporate venue and large parties. I could imagine the space being transformed into a lounge in the evening.  To make use of the gorgeous summer weather, my friends and I sat outside on the patio with large red umbrellas and wooden tables.

For my pre-fix lunch at $23, I ordered the smoked heirloom tomato gazpacho, the saffron arancini with sweet pea and zucchini crudo, and the salted caramel cone.

I enjoyed the strong tomato flavour of the gazpacho and liked that the texture was different than the thick pureed gazpacho I had been accustomed to. The arancini was dense and well seasoned, but was more of an appetizer portion (I’m a big eater). My favourite was the cone and soft serve ice cream served in a bowl with peanut brittle. The berry sauce was refreshing and this ended the meal well…and the plating was beautiful!

Overall:

Aside from the portion size, I enjoyed my summerlicious meal. I need to come back to check out their regular menu to feel for the consistency of the food. I would recommend the restaurant for large parties or a place with laid back atmosphere.