SORA

Never thought I'd ever have to give a restaurant a one-star review, and it pains me to do so, but Sora has absolutely nothing redeeming to offer in which to defend itself.

Tacky and crowded in its seating, Sora tries very desperately to be a 4-star dining experience, which is something it tragically is not.

When a restaurant that charges an average of $25 per plate is playing top 40 pop overhead, and hotel staff is constantly bustling about by your table, the realization that the price and the atmosphere is a huge facade sets it quickly.

Flies buzzing about our faces as we order our dinner, we started with Sora's signature salad- a simple garden salad with lemon, olive oil and light pepper seasoning. Unfortunately, what should have been an easily executed dish came out entirely inedible. Large chunks of half-ripened tomatoes took up most of the space within the salad. The taste was unbearable, as nothing but lemon juice assaulted my taste buds- my jaw actually hurt as I attempted to eat it.

The main courses themselves were pretty inoffensive- my girlfriend got spaghetti carbonara with grilled chicken, and myself a plate of spaghetti bolognese. Both were edible, but nothing to justify the prices attached to them.

Having saved plenty of room for dessert, seeing as most of what we ordered wasn't consumed (something I feel terrible about, but I couldn't be helped), my girlfriend ordered a chocolate custard while I ordered a cannoli. I make no exaggeration when I say the chocolate custard was 100% identical to a dish filled with Hershey's syrup. The taste was unmistakable, and I was convinced that it was exactly that. I do have to admit, the cannoli was pretty damn good, but when an entire dinner service gets 1 point out of 100, there's a problem that can't be fixed with just a tasty cannoli.

Expensive, garish, and gross, there was nothing worth praising Sora about nor recommending it for. So, sadly, I have to say it's only worth one star, and even at that it may be a generous score.

Let me start by saying that I was not expecting to like this place.  Expensive restaurants located in expensive hotels are not the type of places I frequent.  However, I was pleasantly surprised at how good of a value the meal was, given the price I paid.

I ordered the Peasant Style Branzino (a fancy name for grilled European sea bass) for $24.  Not only was it a fair deal for a whole grilled fish (plus sides of jasmine rice and vegetables), but it was also cooked to perfection, allowing for easy flaking of the fish.  The bread basket with pesto butter was also delicious, and you can also ask for another bread basket if you finish the first one.  At the end of the meal, you get a handful of chocolate-covered roasted coffee beans with your check -- a creative touch that added just the right amount of class that you felt like you were at place that was clearly above the dinner mint.

The service is a mixed bag.  Our primary waitress was not the most patient or friendly person, but our secondary waiter was very kind.  Also, the size of the restaurant is small enough such that you don't have to worry about needing to constantly call your waiter's attention.

If it's a nice evening, you can always take your meal (or even pre-/post-meal drinks) outside to their patio.

I didn't experience any of this myself, but according to their website, they serve New England fare (lobster, clam chowder, etc.) on Fridays, and they also have live entertainment and giveaways on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and some Saturdays.

If you're in the Bedford/Burlington area and are looking for a nice sit-down restaurant, I wouldn't discourage giving Sora a shot.