nobu, nobme

I've been taking a bit of time to write this, so that i don't come across as hard, disappointed, even disillusioned. You see, i don't think i had the best of times there, and unfortunately, a lot of disgruntled food bloggers had the same experience as i did.

let it be said, the food is amazing. it was the sort of food you dream about for weeks to come. we're talking transcendence, people. the highlights were definitely the first two dishes. but the ambiance, well, what ambiance? if i am going to a restaurant to the caliber of nobu, i expect the experience to not just be about the food, but the place itself.

having said that, i was seated on the lower level of the restaurant. to be honest, i still can't believe how loud it was. we were sitting opposite each other, merely 1 metre away, and still couldn't hear each other talk. we had to basically enjoy the food, and ignore the atmosphere.


first cold dish: yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno and coriander. this dish was amazing, with perfect flavours, and incredibly sweet, firm flesh. yum!
beef tataki – chargrilled fillet dressed with ponzu, minced onion and fried garlic flakes. i think that this was the highlight of the night, the beef melting in your mouth (it sounds so cliched, but you have it, and you'll agree).
new style sashimi - scallops. these were nice, but the ginger was too strong for the delicateness of the scallops.

obligatory black cod with miso. very nice, and it lived up to the expectations.
whole roasted poussin. so much meat, with a lovely smoky flavour. personally, this was too much meat and ended up feeling a little dry. i think with more people this would be recommended; for two, it was a large serving.


this was the waitresses recommendation: tempura baby tiger prawns in tempura. i didn't really rate this dish, as it was "just ok". i think, as a country, we have a relatively high standard for japanese restaurants to live up to.
so overall, the food was great, the atmosphere was blah, the service not so good. i know that there has been a lot of talk lately about waitstaff doing there jobs properly. but when you have to ask 3 separate people if you can get some water, then you have to wonder.

would i go back? the answer, sadly is yes. but next time i would try the sushi bar, as it was secluded enough from the main dining area to allow you to talk!

unfortunately, nobu is a restaurant that we all have to try at least once. trust me, the food is worth it alone, but don't expect much else.