After many commutes up and down Cuba street I thought it was about time I finally ventured to Origami - the Japanese restaurant stopping people in their tracks with its funky signage and origami inspired design features. Before I had a chance to ogle at the ornamental plants and oriental art, I was greeted with a very friendly waiter who assisted us to a table and offered menu's and water. The menu's were easy enough to navigate and with photos next to each item, it made decision making both hard and easy. Searching through the menus you will find the usual suspects - Donburi, noodle dishes, an assortment of Bento Boxes, but I had previously been told of their phenomenal duck ramen so it seemed wrong to look pass that meal. Along with my Gyoza $8 (pan fried vegetable dumplings served with sweet and sour vinaigrette) and Duck Ramen $14 (Ramen noodle soup with braised duck breast and vegetables), I kept true to Japanese dining and also ordered a green tea. The seating space within the restaurant is divided between booth seats and single seat tables. The stylised line work on the left feature wall is a modern take on traditional Japanese art, and with its soft pink colour palette, it is a refreshing contrast to the rustic aesthetic that saturates most of the room. Along with cherry blossoms and koi fish, the piece also features Studio Ghibli's Totoro. After taking countless photos of the feature piece our food arrived to the table and we were greeted with bright colours and great presentation. My vegetarian dumplings were the first to be tested and without fail were the fresh and delicious mouthfuls the waiter had told me they would be. The six pieces were a perfect sized entree before I dug into my duck ramen which had been taunting me with its beautiful aroma from the get go. Although the freshness of vegetables and perfectly cooked duck was evident, the flavour explosion was derived from the soup broth. I switched between the soup and green tea before finishing up and paying with the friendly waiter who had served us previously. With more than 30 Japanese food outlets within the CBD area, picking your sushi rolls has become a difficult task. Origami, however makes this decision a little easier.
