Sora Asian tapas restaurant at Malmaison, York: full review

On family jaunts it’s not always easy to please everyone when it comes to choosing where to eat, so while staying in the Malmaison we decided to eat in the hotel on recommendation – and let me tell you it’s a hidden gem. 

Sitting above the city on the seventh floor sits the elegant Sora Asian fusion tapas restaurant. 

With epic views of the Minster and across the city, the location alone is a must – or even just for one of the quality cocktails on offer. 

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Arriving in the luxurious surroundings, we were immediately welcomed with a smile and staff eager to please – which is always a big deal for me. It sets the tone for your evening and dining experience and the staff here did just that and couldn’t be more attentive. 

The menu offers a selection of sushi Robatayaki and pan-Asian style tapas dishes to suit all tastes, -including vegetarian option and fussy teens! 

And the staff were on hand to explain each dish, the choices and combinations of individual dishes or plates and the spring specials. 

We decided to opt for a few different dishes to get a share between us to get a chance to sample a bit of everything. 

We opted for the Dragon rolls – 8 pieces of tempura king prawn, tobiko, avocado with a spiced mayo (£14). These were excellent, once I managed to master my chopsticks of course to get the things in my mouth. It was superbly presented and absolutely melted in the mouth. 

One of my choices was the tempura king prawns (£12.50) from the crispy menu which came with a sweet chilli dip. The batter was so light and not fatty at all, and I have to confess it was a struggle to share... 

From the spring special menu, we also chose the crispy duck maki (£10) – again 8 pieces of delicately put together duck with pickled watermelon, pine nuts, hoisin and the signature puffed rice. Again, an excellent choice and the combination was a flavour explosion on the tongue. Thankfully with 8 pieces there was enough to go around... 

My wife opted for the scallops from the robata grill (£9) – which were prepared with ponzu, wasabi and togarashi which is a Japanese spice blend consisting of chilli flakes, seaweed and sesame seeds (amongst other things) and adds a fiery kick to a variety of dishes.  

Scallops can easily be overcooked, but these were just right and melted in the mouth – with those spices certainly tantalising the taste buds without being overbearing. 

My favourite though was the buttermilk chicken karaage (£8), also from the crispy menu with roasted sesame which was delightfully sticky and chewy on the outside revealing succulent chicken on the inside. 

Even the side of hand-cut fried with seaweed and chilli were excellent – great taste and I didn't want the bowl to end. 

We decided to add some sweet tapas to the mix. Now I'm not usually a pudding fan – but I do like a bit of ice cream and so I manipulated the group into choosing the mochi ice cream (£3 a ball). 

It’s the first time I’ve had mochi ice cream and it didn’t disappoint. Thankfully they were served with T-spoons as I had no idea how I was going to eat it with chopsticks. For the uninitiated, mochi is affectively a rice cake beaten into a paste and moulded and in this case filled with ice cream. We opted for various tastes, including raspberry and a coconut one which was to die for. Frist time for me and something I’ll certainly have again. 

Sora is not just a restaurant, but also a great place to come and enjoy a cocktail or two. And so, we thought why not. I opted for the Shisito (£12) which was  bacardi, matcha liqueur, shiso syrup, lime, mint and soda, while my wife had a Yozu raspberry Collins (£10). It might seem expensive for two drinks, but comparable with any cocktail bar or lounge in most cities. 

There’s also a good choice of beers, spirits and of course wines for those not in the mood for cocktails. 

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As a family, we could find little fault with Sora. The combination of the surroundings, decor, atmosphere, quality food and drink – but more importantly for me the excellent service, make this a must if you’re visiting York or if it’s on your doorstep, you simply must try it. 

For those visiting York, Sora do some great packages for parties, for race days and other events – and they also have resident DJs and guest musicians on weekends and make it a great place for all occasions. 

If you want cheap and cheerful as a family – this isn’t it, but value for money – absolutely! 

Sora, Malmaison York. 

2 Rougier St, York YO90 1UU 

To book Call: 01904 946060 or click here

Opening times: Monday and Tuesday – Closed, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday – 12pm to 12am, Friday and Saturday – 12pm to 1am 

Ratings (out of 10): Food quality 9, service 9, surroundings 10, value 8.5