Ora

Ora has it all. Its chic, sleek, urban hip ambiance is complemented by excellent service, a welcoming feel and—best of all—delicious food. Owner Shahram Bijan, chef John Van Nguyen and wine and sake director Cate Hughes have created a well-rounded approach to an Asian-fusion experience.

The restaurant is designed with an Asian flair and has separate dining areas (including a private room that seats up to 10); a sake and wine bar; a lounge with couches and silent movies; and a central fireplace. The hues are rich and subdued with the glow of many small, flickering candles. The music is modern-ambient-techno. All together, it’s the kind of place that makes you feel really cool—even if you’re not.

My friend Ian and I started our meal with a glass of Viognier for him and a “Yoko Ono’s Lemon Drop” for me. Made with soju and nigori sake shaken with fresh lemon juice and served with a sugar rim, it was a delightful twist on this popular cocktail. A basket of sweet Japanese fried bread came next (um, yum), shortly before our first course, the trio of tartare. It consisted of salmon seasoned with miso and truffle; hamachi [Japanese halibut] with pine nuts, red onion, cucumber and mint vinaigrette; and ahi with mango and avocado. Each fresh combination stood separately on the plate, and some thin, fried wonton chips were served alongside them.

Next we had the green papaya salad with jicama, red onions, carrots, ruby red grapefruit, mint leaves, chopped peanuts and a chili lime vinaigrette. Presented in a pile mid-plate with the peanuts sprinkled around it, it had a playful kick. Along with it we enjoyed the spicy coconut curry bisque, which had nice-sized chunks of Dungeness crab meat, tapioca pearls, chopped peanuts and mango. Backed with an edge of spice, it was stick-to-your-gut rich.

For an entrée, I ordered the pan-seared Loch Duart salmon, which came with tiger prawns, Fresno chilies, leeks, chopped pineapple and coconut “froth.” The salmon was lightly seasoned, and the fresh-tasting prawns, when combined with the coconut sauce (which yes, was frothy) had a slightly sweet flavor.

Ian ordered the Madras curry-spiced Australian rack of lamb, which came with Chinese long bean almandine, steamed jasmine rice and a cucumber mint yogurt sauce. The meat was very moist and tender, and the mild sauce let the lamb’s excellent flavor come through with ease.

For dessert, we had the Lotus tea for two, described on the menu as “an unassuming bundle of aromatic jasmine tea that blossoms into a delightful flower.” We also ordered the chocolate pot au crème, which was a bit more dense than we expected. Last, we had the banana and golden raisin bread pudding, which came with toasted almonds, a light and almost airy coconut gelato and a bit of caramel sauce drizzled on top. Both were sweetly satisfying.