Inside Origen, Soft Opening Today in Berkeley

Grid View

Does this gallery look sort of familiar? Rest assured, this is your official first peek at the new Origen—the "farm to fork" restaurant we've been tracking for a few months now—just in time for today's soft opening of lunch and dinner service. As you may recall, Tracy Leighton and Daniel Clayton (of Pleasant Hill's The Fig Tree fame) are in charge here, hoping to turn around what's been considered a cursed (or at least unlucky) spot for quite some time now. It was previously home to a five-month run for food writer Robert Lauriston's Locanda Da Eva and, before that, Maritime East. Lauriston introduced the idea of painting his previously white establishment, and Origen looks pretty much the same, though it now sports a fresh color scheme and some slight structural changes.
Eater shared the preliminary menu earlier, which offers a balance of small and large plates, with expected highlights such as a constantly changing paella made from scratch every hour, wood-fired thin crust pizzas, and a five-course tasting menu with optional wine pairings at night. Cocktails are inspired by daily market visits, and Leighton also promises a "rocking dessert program." Origen is Catalan for "from the source," so expect to learn the names of the farms and other purveyors who provide the ingredients, whether you like it or not.

All Origen Coverage [~ESF~]