Origano’s Italian owner talks of bringing a taste of his home country’s hospitality to Bangkok. Instead of the cute little pizzeria in outer Bangkok that we pictured, though, Origano sits in a glasshouse where hardly anything matches, from the hard-to-ignore giant wooden slat sign outside to the interior with its aluminum frame windows, mosaic pillars and red blinds. There is an outdoor area if you would prefer to get some air, though.

A certain homey charm is offered by the pizza stove in one corner, but the kitchen doesn’t offer anything that’s anywhere near a satisfying slice of Italy. On our last visit, our appetizer, the caprese salad (fresh mozzarella cheese, tomato with olive oil, B260) was a total disaster. The cheese had clearly been frozen (it was covered in ice crystals)—and predictably, once the ice melted, the mozzarella was a watery mess. Even though the cheese on the tartufo pizza (B440) was melted, it didn’t taste any better under a layer of oil.

Their homemade ravioli with ricotta cheese spinach in cream sauce (B270) is another disappointment with overly floury ravioli and a dull sauce to match. The spaghetti in arrabiata sauce (B200) isn’t any more exciting, while the complimentary bread it’s served with is a dry, stale-tasting disappointment. The roast lamb salad (B380) came with slightly burned lamb chops, while the sour mint and lime jelly did not sit well with the balsamic drenched salad. 

The only somewhat satisfying dish for us is the lobster soup (B260), which packs a nice taste even if the texture is again rather watery. Despite all our grievances, Origano welcomes a regular stream of customers, mostly families and old friends. But with their erratic kitchen and far-flung location, this is one place foodies can safely ignore.