Origano
3650 Fifth Ave. (Hillcrest)
619-295-9590
Happy Hour: 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday
The power of oregano
By Dr. Ink
One of the latest restaurants in Hillcrest to wave the happy-hour flag is Origano. Its name depicts the Latin root spelling for the herbaceous plant that eventually morphed to “oregano.” Food connoisseurs know it as an herb whose flavor sings kindly to beer, particularly to brews that are light and hop-less.
At the rustic-chic Origano, now under new management, I discovered the magical pairing by chance.
Among the sizable draft beers discounted to $3.50 during happy hour is Karl Strauss Amber, which I learned upon first sip that it’s one of Strauss’ lightest, if not most vapid-tasting brews in their portfolio. It wasn’t until my prosciutto-laden flatbread arrived that the ale became pleasantly drinkable.
The flatbread, which was essentially an irregularly shaped Neapolitan-style pizza yanked from a hot brick oven, came with ramekins of red pepper flakes, Parmesan cheese and dried oregano. I sprinkled the latter generously onto the pie, which indeed complemented every slug of beer, much like the marriage that occurs between lime and tequila or cinnamon and red sangria.
The pizza would have otherwise been fantastic on its own, given the generou
s measures of prosciutto, arugula and shaved Parmesan sitting on top. Beneath was a thin layer of mozzarella and bright-red sauce made from San Marzano tomatoes, a requirement if you’re calling pizza “Neapolitan.” This was a good bargain for $6. The other flatbread choices, caprese or vegetable, are priced at $5. All run about 50 percent below their regular costs.
Drink deals extend to several cocktails made with fermented spirits, such as agave margaritas and mango or peach daiquiris for $4.50 apiece. The bar also concocts sangria; the red uses a merlot base and the white is constructed with Chardonnay and a hint of orange juice, which would have probably gone undetected had my endearing Italian waitress not revealed the recipe. Either are priced at $5 a glass or $10 for a “craft,” meaning carafe.
Other food items on the happy hour menu feature Cajun pan-seared tuna for $7; meat-and-cheese boards for $10; fried calamari and shrimp for $7; and a deluxe bruschetta with olives and pesto on crostini for only $3.
Since coming under new management a couple months ago, Origano has also introduced breakfast service while adding new pasta dishes to its lunch and dinner menus.
RATINGS:
Drinks: 3
Discounted beers include a few crafts, domestics and imports while the wine deals narrow down to familiar “house” brands in red or white. The bargains extend also to house-made sangria and short list of cocktails like peach daiquiris and agave sunrises using low-alcohol fermented spirits.
Food: 4
The Neapolitan-style pizzas are substantial and cook fast. Their crusts are crispy with the right amount of chew. And the pesto-enhanced bruschetta is splendidly flavorful.
Value: 4
Drink prices are reduced by about 15 percent, although you’ll save nearly 50 percent on certain food items such as pizzas and combos of fried calamari and shrimp.
Service: 5
The waitress, a native of Italy, promptly provided a happy hour menu when arriving and offered a sample of sangria when inquiring about it.
Duration: 3
Rounding out the end time to 7 p.m. instead of 6:30 would give patrons driving in to Hillcrest extra slack for battling traffic.
