I have been spoiled over the years. I have tasted the best of the best when it comes to ethnic food, and the delectable Japanese food I have had is no exception. Unfortunately I cannot say the same about Sora Sushi in Redmond, Oregon, I’m not a fan at all.
Sora Sushi was in Bend originally (and that location is still there), but they opened another in Redmond, Oregon. It is different than most Japanese/Sushi restaurants in that there is a conveyor belt that winds around the restaurant, delivering various items for the taking. It reminds me a bit of traditional Dim Sum restaurants, where you pay by the plate.
I was excited to see how it all works. My husband and daughter had been to the Sora Sushi in Bend, Oregon previously, and my husband wasn’t impressed. My daughter thought it was fun, but I think that was more due to the novelty – not the flavor of the food. My daughter and I sat down and as I started watching the plates wind around us, my excitement quickly turned into letdown. The first plates that came around were little yogurt bottles, most likely from Costco or some other store. Then along came little individually wrapped macarons {also pre-packaged}. These were followed by plates with bags of chips {or something similar to chips} on them.
Finally some sushi came through, but none of the plates looked appealing. There were no labels on the side of the lids, and no way of knowing what was inside. They all looked pretty much the same – boring. My daughter grabbed three different sushi items, but I just kept watching things go by, uninspired to take anything.
I do love Edamame {soy beans}, and I happy plucked a plate of the off of the conveyor belt when they whizzed by. Even these weren’t good. All edamame that I’ve had in the past were lightly salted and kind of addictive for some reason. These were very bland and slightly mushy. Honestly, they made my stomach turn. I ate about 5 and then gave up. How someone can screw up edamame is beyond me.
I always enjoy Inari, which is sweet sticky rice stuffed in a tofu pocket. The problem with the Inari at Sora Sushi was that the rice was not sweet at all. The whole thing was very bland. After taking a couple of bites, it was clear that this would also end up in my “reject” area with the bland edamame.
What is THIS?
Unfortunately I don’t know the names of the sushi plates that my daughter chose, but I had no desire to try any more of the little plates. I was told I could order food off of their regular menu, so I opted to do just that. They had some of my favorite Japanese dishes, including a nice variety of Donburi. I chose the Beef Teriyaki Donburi {$9.50}, which is usually a safe choice. It wasn’t horrible, but it certainly wasn’t the best I’ve ever had {by a long shot}. I took a few bites and then I was just done. Done being disappointed.
For dessert there were plates with skinny slices of assorted cheesecakes.
Prices
There are 3 or 4 price points for the different colored sushi plates. We were there at Happy Hour apparently, where all dishes are a certain price, but even with that benefit, the total for the two of us was around $37.
Although the atmosphere is interesting, and there was a “fun” feeling when we first walked in, it quickly turned into a place that I will never go to again. I just had a sickish feeling the whole time I was there.
Final thoughts
If you are in the Central Oregon area and you’re craving good sushi, you would be much better off skipping Sora Sushi in Redmond, Oregon and instead go to Oishi {also in Redmond}. It may be a bit more expensive, but it is a LOT more satisfying.
Sora Sushi is located at 3853 SW 21st Street in Redmond, OR {behind DMV}.
