Newly opened in the Olympic Oval District of Richmond is Origo Club, a multi-concept establishment featuring a restaurant, cafe and art gallery. Origo is a spinoff of a namesake club that debuted in Beijing in 2014. The name derives from a Latin term meaning ‘origin’ and underscores the establishment’s single-source philosophy when it comes to its selection of food, wine, coffee, tea and art exhibits. I was invited to a media event at Origo Club recently where I learned more about their story and tried a few items from their dinner menu.
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Disclosure: All food and drinks were complimentary. Opinions are my own.
Cafe during the Day | Restaurant at Night
Origo Club specializes in French cuisine and is open for lunch, dinner, late night and coffee/tea. During the day, Origo Club is a laidback café offering fresh-baked viennoiseries and lighter fare like croque madames and croissant sandwiches. They also serve pour-over speciality coffees and espresso-based beverages crafted from their state-of-the-art Modbar brewing systems (one of four currently in use in BC).
For dinner service, you’ll find more French-inspired dishes with entrees priced around $30 – $55 like Terrine de Foie Gras and Magret de Canard. Their wine list includes French wines (special nod to the exclusive selection of Barons de Rothschild Champagne), as well as an array of classic and house cocktails, imported saké and whiskies from around the world.
The adjacent art gallery showcases a private collection of more than 400 pieces of contemporary Asian art, including handmade Tibetan ‘Thangka’ paintings, porcelain and ornate Yixing Teapots.
What I Tried
Charcuteries et Fromages | Huitres
Cured meats and cheese plate as well as oysters with mignonette pearl and horseradish. Paired with Barons de Rothschild Champagne Brut.
Boeuf Tartare
Beef tartare, cured yolk, cornichon, shallot, dijon, horseradish mayo, chips. Paired with Jikon Tokubetsu Junmai Sake. I found the meat to be very tender, flavourful and the chips added some textural contrast.
Salade de Kale ‘Lyonnaise’
Kale salad, smoked oyster mushroom, pickled fennel, comté, fresh cheese. Paired with Pascal Bouchard Chablis 2016. A very refreshing salad but the standout was the crunchy, fried slice of cheese.
Moules et Coquillages
Mussels and clams, andouille sausage, tomato, garlic and spicy tomato sauce. Paired with Domaine Marcel Deiss Riesling 2015. I enjoyed the savoury yet mildly spicy broth in this dish.
Magret de Canard
Duck magret, orange-glazed endive, carrot purée, black rice, sea buckthorn jus. Paired with Harmand Geoffroy “Village” Gevrey-Chambertin Pinot Noir 2013. Deep, rich in flavour, this duck breast was well enjoyed amongst guests that evening. If you don’t know, the breed of duck used for this type of dish is the Moulard. In France, magret generally refers specifically to the breast of moulard ducks that have been raised on the foie gras plan.
Crémeux au Chocolat Noir
Dark chocolate crémeux, pistachio crème & sponge, meringue. Paired with Domaine Marcel Deiss Riesling Vendanges Tardives 2009.
Macarons
Overall Impression of Origo Club
Origo Club certainly is a unique and interesting addition to Richmond’s dining scene. My ideal three course dinner would be the Boeuf Tartare, Magrete de Canard, and Crémeux au Chocolat Noir.
Origo Club
Address: 10-6888 River Rd, Richmond, BC
Website: www.origoclub.ca