The dish that hooked De Niro features Black Cod with Butter Lettuce (left and right) and King Crab with Amazu Ponzu (middle). It is among Nobu’s top dishes offered in its 30th anniversary celebration menu.
International restaurant chain linked to legendary actor serves up classic dishes for 30th anniversary
A CURATED menu of best loved dishes from all of its 75 outlets across Africa, Asia and Europe is how luxury restaurant chain Nobu is celebrating its 30th anniversary.
Founded by Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa and American actor Robert De Niro in 1994, Nobu is presenting a menu made up of 14 dishes based on some of Matsuhisa’s earliest creations.
“They are very close to my heart.
“When designing these menus, we wanted to honour our journey, the dedication of our team and the support we’ve received from our guests over the past 30 years,” said Matsuhisa in a media statement.
At Nobu Kuala Lumpur, this menu is being whipped up by executive chef Philip Leong, an Ipoh native and old boy of SMK Anderson.
Giving insights into the menu’s sensory profiles, Leong said diners could expect an interlayering of spicy and citrus dishes with richer items such as tempuras, grilled meats, and dessert.
Throughout the menu are elements of sharp sourness such as pickled vegetables in the sashimi samplers and meat dishes.
The sauces are a well balanced contrast of citrus, salty, spicy, sweet and pungent flavours.
It must be noted that sourness, in creating responses such as the puckering of the lips, also increases saliva production and heart rates.
This stimulates feel-good hormones like dopamine and endorphin, and has an exhilarating effect on the taste buds, opening up the appetite.
Another element is in the artful balancing of wasabi in the sauces.
Those familiar with Japanese cuisine will know well the overpowering and burning felt in the nasal passages if too much of this pungent sauce has been used, or consumed.
But, introduced in just the right amount, wasabi has the ability to tickle the palate.
The menu begins with a sashimi sampler of Toro Tartare with Caviar, Salmon Tataki Karashi Sumiso, Sea Bass Tiradito and Yellowtail Jalapeno.
The fish is delivered daily to ensure freshness, Leong said.
Upon arrival, it is immediately deboned, its veins removed and filleted.
“None of the fish for our sashimi or sushi is frozen,” he said.
The tuna tartare, topped with Oscietra caviar, is soaked in a wasabi soy sauce and offers a sweet ending in the form of a baby Japanese peach.
Artful balancing of wasabi lifts Nobu’s sashimi sampler that offers (clockwise from top) Toro Tartare with Caviar, Salmon Tataki Karashi Sumiso, Sea Bass Tiradito and Yellowtail Jalapeno.
Be prepared to savour the sauce accompanying the seared salmon, as the combination of vinegar, miso and brown mustard is simply mouth-watering.
On the sushi platter, the Nori Taco with Caviar steals the limelight.
Made with seaweed and blackened with squid ink, the taco shell holds a dollop of mashed avocado topped with Oscietra caviar.
There is also the White Fish Matsuhisa Style.
Flavoured with yuzu sauce and sea salt, it is brightened with the minty notes of shiso leaf.
The Scallop Dry Miso stands out with its colourful garnishing of chopped chives, dried miso and a crispy garlic chip.
Black Cod with Butter Lettuce, King Crab with Amazu Ponzu and Japanese Beef Anticucho are offered in the main sections.
We are told that the black cod is a classic dish.
Legend has it that it was this flaky, buttery fish that made De Niro revisit Matsuhisa’s restaurant several times over, culminating in a successful business partnership.
Sitting in a lettuce leaf upon a layer of sweet miso sauce, the fish wears a topping of thin shredded phyllo strands.
The crab is made into a tempura and sits atop a bed of grilled watermelon cubes, and a garnishing of pickled onions, and jalapeno chillies.
The Miyazaki wagyu is grilled over charcoal that is made from the wood of mangrove trees.
Flavouring the meat is a combination of aji amarillo and aji panca, both of which are South American peppers popularly used in Peruvian cooking.
Contrary to the fiery quality that is expected, the sauce is instead savoury, lemony and slightly garlicky.
For dessert, there is Strawberry Cheesecake, Mochido and Milk Chocolate Cream with Sesame.
The cheesecake is light and airy.
We were told that the secret is in ensuring that the cream cheese is fluffed to just the right consistency.
The chocolate cream is essentially a ganache.
To bring out the creamy flavours are sprinklings of sea salt.
The addition of soba pops gives the dish a crunchy touch.
The mochido is made with sweet potatoes and filled with a miso and caramel sauce.
Nobu’s 30th anniversary omakase menu is priced at RM680 per person, subject to 10% service charge and 6% sales and service tax.
It is available at all its restaurants worldwide from Oct 7-13.
NOBU KUALA LUMPUR, L4A-05, Level 4A, Shoppes at Four Seasons Place, 145, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-2380 0028, 019-389 5085 (WhatsApp). Business hours: 11:45am to 2pm, 6pm-10:30pm.
This is the writer’s personal observation and not an endorsement by StarMetro.
