Restaurant Review: Origin Asian Bistro

This eclectic Asian restaurant in South Miami dishes up a huge variety of innovative and tasty appetizers and entrees, and fresh and exotic sushi. Origin’s outstanding food makes it comparable to other hot Asian restaurants like Nobu, but with much more reasonable prices.

Formerly located in South Beach, Origin moved a few years ago to the busy corner of US1 and Sunset Drive in South Miami. When I arrived, I was a little dismayed to find it located right next to a strip club, but was thrilled with the offer of free valet parking. The outdoor dining tables are situated just steps from the parking lot. Tables in the back are lovely and relaxing, but sit on the edge and you will likely inhale vehicle exhaust along with your meal. There is also the option of indoor seating, which will be a necessity in the summer. The indoor dining room is smallish with simple but elegant bamboo and dark wood décor.

The huge menu seems a bit out of proportion with the size of the place. They offer dozens of appetizers, salads, entrees and sushi with a range of Asian influences – including Thai, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean. A full bar offers your choice of hard liquor, tropical drinks, Japanese beer and hot or cold sake.

After the complimentary edamame (soybean pods), we started with the Malaysian roti – delicious fried roti bread dipped into a mouth-watering blend of coconut milk and potato with a light curry seasoning. The miso soup was as tasty as I’ve had, and the green papaya salad was tangy and delicious– an exotic blend of fruits and veggies. The coconut shrimp was too bland and dry, but the pan-roasted salmon with saffron curry was more than perfect. Their huge variety of sushi dishes are incredibly fresh and beautifully presented. Portions are generous here, and I was afraid to take one more bite, but the Thai donuts were calling to me. Light and delicate, and served hot with three different sauces, they made a sweet ending to a fantastic meal.

The wait staff is friendly and quick but not overly attentive. Prices are moderate and the food is worth every penny.