Kora: Opening Night!

In May, when I found out that Kora would replace the disappointing Bebo Trattoria, I could not wait. I loved Farrah Olivia and was eager to see what Morou would do with Italian cuisine, which is my favorite.

As the restaurant looked more finished and buzz around the city started to grow, I turned into the foodie equivalent of a middle schooler with a crush. Every day at lunch I have forced coworkers to walk by the restaurant and stalk employees to see if it was open, and if not, when it would open. Every day I grew more impatient. So I was in ecstatic disbelief when I read the sign in the window that said tonight was opening night!

Unfortunately in my food frenzy, I completely forgot my camera. This means I will have to take another trip soon to provide you with pictures. Woe is me.

Kora did not disappoint. The atmosphere was perfect. It was comfortable and modern; Kora makes much better use of the space than Bebo. The staff was friendly and competent, impressive considering it was opening night.

The wine list had an interesting selection, but only for bottles. I expect that wine lists will have a better selections for bottles than by-the-glass wines, but only three choices for a glass of white? That is just sad.

The food was excellent. The bread was amazing. I tried shells stuffed with spinach and ricotta with sage butter, and my friend Anne got the crab cannelloni. Both were phenomenal. The shells melted in my mouth and the sage butter was a perfect complement, providing flavor but not overwhelming or taking away from the pasta. For dessert I ordered the chocolate pear tart and sampled some of Anne's tiramisu. The tart was topped with a light creme fraiche and lots of cinnamon. The chocolate, cinnamon, and pear were a flawless combination. The dessert was complex, but not heavy, an ideal dessert for Italian cuisine. Anne's tiramisu had a strong espresso flavor, but without being overwhelming. Overall, the food made the long anticipated wait well worth it.