A TASTE OF EUROPE

Stepping into Oregano, the interesting décor caught my eye before anything else. There's a white wall completely covered with scribbles, and the other colourful walls are decorated with rope ladders and framed artwork. Looking further in, I saw some glass tables out on the terrace. Stepping over to the terrace, I found a beautiful grassy floor and a view of the city from the 6th floor – perfect conditions for a relaxing meal outdoors. 

As I looked through the diverse menu, I decided to order a Red Devil (BDT 150) – the drink was of a beautiful red colour and had a sour taste. There was icing sugar around the rim of the glass to neutralise the acidic taste, I enjoyed every sip of it. The Blue Lagoon was very similar but slightly sourer and you guessed it, blue. I also tasted an Oreo's (BDT 220) – a sweet, chocolate-y shake with an Oreo in the middle which was heavenly.

Since the theme seemed to be European, we decided to try the Chicken Paprikash with Hungarian Rice (BDT 330) and Atlantic Salmon after pouring through their menu of appetizers, steaks, pasta and seafood. In the seafood category they offer Seafood Paella, Fish and Chips, New England Clam Chowder and Atlantic Salmon.

Before we delve into how everything tasted, when the plates arrived I was happy to find that they very closely resembled the photos on their Facebook page in terms of portions and plating. Two thumbs ups for presentation.

The Hungarian Rice was unlike anything I'd tasted before – a burst of interesting flavours with kidney beans in between. It came with two large juicy pieces of chicken bathed in mushroom sauce. I would've preferred a tad more spice but I was satisfied. 

The salmon tasted great – light and buttery with hints of lemon and generous portions of creamy mashed potatoes. There were vegetables on the side and it was a well-rounded dish – justifying the price of BDT 990 (the priciest item on their menu).

Next it was time for dessert. We decided to go for the Fudge Brownie (BDT 190). It was good to look at and decorated with sprinkles and chocolate sauce but I personally think it could've been a bit softer and gooier in terms of texture; I found it a bit too dry.

I should also mention that Oregano is well-staffed; it was busy hour but the waiters were always on their feet, tending to the customers' needs. Despite the slightly high prices for some of the items, I'm looking forward to the idea of a second visit; their new additions Risotto Alla Pitocca and Paella Valenciana sound particularly promising. If you're looking for something slightly out of the ordinary, Oregano's elaborate choices of European-themed dishes shouldn't disappoint, especially if you're a fan of seafood. 

Address: Level 6, House 74, Bikalpa Tower, Road 5A, Dhanmondi.

Salma Mohammad Ali fears she is becoming a crazy cat lady and uses writing as a means to grasp on to sanity. Send her your views/hate/love at fb.com/salma.ali209