Last year, when the folks behind Origin Natural Foods said they were going to close shop, remodel and re-open as a full service restaurant, they hardly made it clear how significant the changes would be. The renovation changed the entire space floor to ceiling. If you haven't been back since they've reopened, it is safe to say you won't recognize anything.
Even though it's brand new, Origin Kitchen + Bar feels like a restaurant that's been around for months if not years. One bar frames a pair of drink makers as they ply the space with wine and booze, and another frames a kitchen station, where cooks chop ingredients and flames lap at sautée pans. Sit at either for better than average coffee and this odd dessert that sate without pummeling you.
Too often desserts arrive the size of rafts, and that's after you've sawed your way through a pork chop the size of Montana. Sweet courses don't have to be big to make an impact; they just have to be good. In fact, eating one redundant bite after another of a mediocre dessert can feel like a burden.
This white chocolate cake, by comparison, is small enough that the last bite leaves you wanting just a little more, which compared with glut and discomfort is a nice place to be. The cake is bonded to a thin layer of crème brûlée and topped with a blueberry compote and candied ginger. Take another sip of coffee and then another bite and realize you've met the Goldilocks of desserts -- not too sweet, not too massive and just before you get bored, she's gone.
