SORA Japanese Sky Cuisine
SORA Japanese Sky Cuisine: A little Taste of Japan in each Bite
I must admit that I have never really been a huge fan of sushi. A part of me found it to be a bit overrated to be honest. OMG sushi is so amazing! blah blah blah yaddi yaddi yah. I mean I have only had sushi once or twice before and it was just okay. Not terrible, but nothing to phone home about. A true testament to maybe it was not the best sushi representative I tried is the fact that the restaurant is no longer there. But when my gal pals Lexi and Vanessa (my companions for my last foodie adventure) suggested we go to Sora Japanese Sky Cuisine for another foodie adventure; the wangagut (aka hungry belly or greedy Gretchen or foodie/food lover) in me won out and I thought I would give sushi another opportunity to wow me. Can I get a WOW?
You see coming from Jamaica the idea of raw fish is a bit daunting to me. If there is one thing to know about Jamaica is that we are a country that loooooooooooves our herbs and seasonings. We take absolute pride in preparing meals and creating complex flavours and textures to satisfy the palate. Oftentimes cooking in Jamaica is beyond a mere meal, it is a whole day experience coming on the background of days or even weeks of preparations. Fortunately for me, Sora was more than prepared to accept the challenge with their extensive menu which included both sushi and non-sushi options.
Sora Japanese Sky Cuisine
The word 'Sora' translated from Japanese means Sky and I really felt like I was attempting to reach the sky as I ascended the staircase leading to the restaurant. Located on the very top floor of the three story complex on Phoenix Avenue, I questioned my quest for food as I made my way to the over 3 year old restaurant. The stairs were killer for my out of shape body and trust and believe my thighs and calves felt every ounce of it on the way up.
Arrival to the restaurant was met with a heartfelt ‘whew finally’ but soon I was quickly simmered down to a gentle lull as I entered the lovely restaurant. My friend Vanessa was already waiting for me, so when our waitress Apple greeted me on arrival; I was quickly escorted to our table by the window once I made mention of my dining companion for the evening.
The Ambiance
The restaurant has two seating options; inside the restaurant or outside on the terrace. The inside is a chic and modernly decorated setting that creates an ambiance of tranquility upon arrival. A perfect blend of tradition and novelty; the inside seating area saw a traditional Japanese sushi bar at the topmost part of the restaurant with seated bar stools where patrons could watch as their sushi was being prepared. This blended seamlessly into the remainder of the restaurant which boasted fine-dining style plush and cozy seating arrangements for the patron who preferred to be surprised by their meal and engage in friendly conversation with their respective company until said meals arrived.
Conversely, the outside was a scenic paradise with a rooftop view of the surrounding environs of the city streets on the background of lush green mountains. The fresh air only added to the appeal of the well designed area of comfortable wooden aesthetic seats. And with the added bonus of having an outside bar, the terrace was definitely ahead in the race for the vibe we wanted for the evening.
Unfortunately for us, it was a rainy Saturday afternoon and our plans to revel in the stunning scenery of the rooftop terrace was dampened. We were only blessed with enough of a brief interruption in the showers to snap a few memorable pictures before the drizzles had us scurrying back inside for shelter.
The Experience
Once everyone had arrived, we were greeted by the owner and manager Mr. Hiromasa Takahashi who presented us with the menu to mull over. He also offered his advice on menu options based on our respective tastes as myself and Lexi were sushi novices and were not really sure what to get, especially with their extensive menu options. Take about choice overload. Whew! They offer so much variety on their menu; from cooked to uncooked sushi and even non-sushi meals too. We were also advised to use the call button that was on the table, to alert our waitress Apple to our wanting her assistance.
Once our choices were made, we placed our orders and chatted until our meals came. The meals prepared at Sora are made fresh so there was a little wait. Nothing too long though; a pretty reasonable amount of time I believe for freshly prepared meals. In the meantime we made our drink orders and chatted up a storm.
I knew I wanted to get a cooked roll so I opted for the Salmon Tempura which is a salmon, cream cheese and crab stick roll deep fried. The other menu items we ordered were Sushi Nigiri Supreme Combo with the Rainbow roll, Fyah Turner Roll which is the newest addition to the menu and for our non-sushi option, we ordered the Pork in Teriyaki Sauce with a mashed potato side. Not having had enough sushi. Our taste buds were literally clamouring for more. (It is that good ya’ll) We also later opted to try the Volcano roll which gained its name due to the fact that the sushi rolls are stacked in a form so as it looks like a volcano.
Our excitement began with seeing the rolls. All brilliantly colourful and beautifully arranged. The vibrancy of the colours wet the appetite before the scent even broached our noses. And when the scents did arrive just know we were salivating at the chance to devour everything our eyes could see.
The Meals
Salmon Tempura
Let us start with my choice, the Salmon Tempura. As mentioned before, this is a cooked roll made of salmon, cream cheese and crab stick deep fried. This roll was absolutely scrumptious. With salmon and cream cheese already a known matched made in heaven, the flavour was only elevated with the addition of the crunchy crab stick, the semi-crunchy nori wrap and the spicy mayo drizzle. So yummy!!! My taste buds came alive with each bite. It was like I could not get enough and when my plate was finished, it was gone way too soon.
Fyah Turner Roll
The newest addition to the Sora menu was truly a delicious addition. This is also a cooked roll and similar to the salmon tempura has salmon and spicy mayo as part of the ingredients list. But that is where the similarities stop. Also added to the mix is some amazingly delicious shrimp. Can I tell you how much I love shrimp so any meal with it automatically shell for me? The flavours were well balanced and blended seamlessly into one another. There was nothing overpowering or stealing the spotlight. I think overall it is a great addition to the Sora menu.
Sushi Nigiri Combo Roll with Rainbow Roll
Now venturing into the world of uncooked sushi, we ordered the the Sushi Nigiri Supreme Roll. This colourful ensemble is a combination of 10 uncooked pieces. The roll consisted of a California Roll individually topped with fresh pieces of tuna, salmon, shrimp, hamachi, roe, squid and octopus and were served with sides of wasabi, soy sauce and spiced mayo. The beauty queen of the lot, this platter was surprisingly tasty. Remember my thing about Jamaicans and flavour and this being uncooked and all. Personally, I liked this best when the soy sauce was added to the mix.
Volcano Roll
They say you make terrible decisions on an empty stomach. But I am here to add a part 2 to the statement. You make great decisions on an almost full tummy that is for certain. This was our last menu order for the day and can I say it did not disappoint. An eruption of flavour in your mouth with each bite, this aptly name volcano due to its pyramid appearance is a roll combination made from crabstick, octopus, masago, mayo and crispy onion. Tantalizing is embodied with each bite of this roll. It was absolutely delicious and a great way to finish our day.
Pork in Teriyaki Sauce
The odd man out of this sushi experience, the Pork in teriyaki sauce was not about to be the weakest link on this foodie excursion. The only non-sushi meal we ordered is a plate of thinly sliced grilled pork sauteed with caramelized onions and bell peppers and simmered in a teriyaki sauce served on a hot plate. The pork sizzled in a steamy perfection as it was presented to us. We opted to have the meal with a side of mashed potatoes. This dish was magnificent to say the least. Perfect for the food lover who may not be willing or able to venture off into the sushi world just yet but still want to experience the ambiance that is Sora Japanese Sky Cuisine.
The Drinks
Every good meal can only be heightened by an amazing supplement of beverages; and our bartender Reynaldo was definitely the hookup when it came to our drinks. With some of the meals, Sora has recommended pairings for wines and liquors they think would pair perfectly with the meal. And if you are uncertain, you are always able to ask your helpful server for assistance and they are more than happy to give you recommendations.
After much consideration, I decided to go with the Sora Sunset. One of the restaurant’s signature beverages; this drink is a combination of Hypnotiq, Maribu, Blue Curaco and Orange juice. This drink was both tasty and aesthetically appeasing as it comes as a gradient of oceanic blues and greens to woo you on site.
On the recommendation of our waitress, I also got a second drink for the afternoon which was a cotton candy mojito. Oh dear this was delicious. Smooth and sweet but not overbearing in any bit. I absolutely loved it.
Overall Thoughts
Overall, it was a fabulous afternoon at Sora Japanese Sky Cuisine. The staff was wonderful. Truly A+ customer service. They were more than willing to help us and truly accommodating in providing both information and recommendations when we were not sure about something. The prices are pretty reasonable too. Nothing to break the bank or get you to throw your whole budget away. And let’s not talk about how amazing the food was. My belly is literally growling and my mouth watering just writing this post.
Owner and manager Mr. Hiromasa Takahashi
Kingston is known for its assortment of restaurants and sometimes it can be hard for a restaurant to make its own mark and stand out amongst the myriad of available choices. But Sora has managed the feat and truly is a food mecca in the midst of the busy Kingstonian streets.
So the next time you are looking for a food experience that transcends to heavens, look no further and make your reservations at Sora immediately. They will also be a part of this years’ Jamaica Food and Drink Festival as a part of Chopstix on Wednesday, October 30th so you can look out for them there. You most definitely will not be disappointed.
How about you? Have you ever been to Sora before? What was your experience like? I would love to hear from you. Leave comments down below and share your experience.