Nobu – Eris Goes To

Lunch With A View @ Nobu Kuala Lumpur

February 6, 2020Posted in FoodTagged Asian, dining, eats, Featured, fine dining, food, food photography, food review, Japanese food, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Nobu, Nobu Kuala Lumpur, restaurant review, Southeast AsiaLeave a comment

Commanding an awesome view of Kuala Lumpur right next to the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, Nobu Kuala Lumpur is popular with the business lunch crowd, as well as discerning diners looking for a memorable dining experience with friends and loved ones.

I recently got to try out their ‘Noon at Nobu’ lunch offerings, created by Executive Chef Philip Leong. It did not disappoint. Featuring an array of decadent meals and combinations, the menu includes set lunches, prix fixe menus, bento boxes, hot and cold dishes as well as soups, noodles and desserts. Diners can expect the freshest ingredients, as well as Nobu’s signature Japanese style with Peruvian influences.

To start off, we had an appetiser from the cold menu: Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna (RM38). Fried to golden perfection, the cubes of rice were crunchy, bite-sized and the perfect accompaniment to the creamy, spicy tuna.

Next, we tried some items from the prix-fixe menu (RM168++), which comprises an appetiser, main course and dessert. It also comes with miso soup and green tea.

(APPETISER) Butter Lettuce Salad Dry Miso – fresh leafy vegetables tossed in a savoury-sweet dressing – perfect for those who prefer something light and refreshing.

(APPETISER) One of Nobu’s signature dishes, New Style Sashimi is a palate pleaser in both flavour and texture. The fish slices are slightly cooked on the edges, thanks to the hot oil and dressing that is poured over it just before serving.

There’s an interesting story about how Chef Nobu Masuhitsa, celebrity chef and owner of the Nobu restaurants, came up with the dish. Apparently a guest once declined a meal of sashimi after it was served to the table, citing that she didn’t like raw food. Chef Nobu took it back to the kitchen, heated some oil and poured it over the sides so that the fish would be cooked on the edges, without disrupting the original dish’s presentation. This ‘New Style’ sashimi proved to be so popular it became a permanent item on the menu.

(APPETISER) Nobu’s Peruvian influence shines through the Seafood Ceviche, a salad of fresh and juicy seafood and greens.

(APPETISER) My personal favourite is the Umami Chicken Kara-age; a fitting name for perfectly fried boneless chicken that is juicy on the inside and crisp on the outside.

(MAIN) Mushroom Toban Yaki – An amalgamation of mushrooms, served in a claypot for maximum flavour. It was good but it was not my favourite, as there was a slightly bitter note to the sauce.

(MAIN) Shrimp with Spicy Garlic boasts sweet and sizable shrimps tossed in a spicy garlic sauce for an extra kick.

(MAIN) The Grilled Chicken Truffle Teriyaki is another winner, elevating the humble but versatile meat into a gourmet experience. Despite being lean, with very little fat, the chicken retained its moisture and tenderness, which makes it a great protein to bring out the full flavours of the smoky, earthy truffle sauce. Rounding up the dish are lightly grilled vegetables.

(MAIN) Red meat lovers will enjoy the Beef Tenderloin.

Aside from the pre-fixe menu, Nobu KL also offers set lunches which are served with with miso soup, salad, tempura, nobu biscuits and green tea. Vegans can opt for the Cauliflower Steak with Corn Salsa, while pescatarians can choose a beautifully presented sushi and sashimi spread of tuna, ebi (shrimp) and salmon, among others. Lunch sets range from RM58++ to RM145++.

Nobu biscuits and macaroons.

Presentation and taste are both key when it comes to Nobu’s exquisite bento boxes (RM175++), which are as pretty as they are tasty. Diners will get signature Nobu dishes such as the refreshing Sashimi Salad with Matsuhisa Dressing, fresh assorted sushi, crispy Rock Shrimp Tempura with Butter Ponzu, Nobu’s signature Black Cod Miso and aromatic Vegetable Spicy Garlic with Rice. If there is one item that you MUST have in this set, it’s the Black Cod Miso, which is basted with a miso glaze for that perfect savoury sweet, umami flavour.

Coming to desserts, which can be ordered ala carte or part of the prix fixe menu, we have the Yogurt Sub Zero, a creamy and lightly sour concoction of fresh berries, raspberry sauce, sesame crisp and yogurt ice-cream served in stone bowls.

The Banana Harumaki – featuring a Banana Spring Roll, Shiso Leaf, Dulce De Leche, Passionfruit Sauce and White Sesame Ice Cream.

Wash everything down with a Japanese Whisky Cappuccino, with Coffee Creme Brulee, Cocoa Cumble, Vanilla Ice Cream and Japanese Whisky Foam.

*Note: There is a smart casual dress code for entry. Ripped jeans, round collared tees, shorts, tank tops and flip flops are not allowed. Children below the age of 12 are only allowed on the premises on weekends and public holidays.

For reservations and inquiries, call 03-2164 5084 or Whatsapp 019 389 5085.

NOBU KUALA LUMPUR

Menara 3 Petronas, Persiaran KLCC, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Opening hours: (daily) 12 – 2PM, 6 – 10.30PM

noburestaurants.com/kuala-lumpur/home/

Review: Nobu Kuala Lumpur’s “Ode To Nobu” Omakase Menu + Sushi Masterclass With Chef Nobu Himself!

October 17, 2019October 21, 2019Posted in FoodTagged dining, eating, eats, Featured, food, food photography, food review, Japanese, Japanese cuisine, Japanese food, Kuala Lumpur, makan, Malaysia, Nobu, Nobu KL, sashimi, sushiLeave a comment

I’m pretty thankful for the job I have and the experiences it affords me.

I mean, it’s not everyday one gets to meet, let alone have a sushi Masterclass with a celebrity chef like Nobu Matsuhisa. Known for his unusual approach of combining traditional Japanese techniques with Peruvian ingredients, the 70-year-old restaurateur has several restaurants (and hotels) around the world bearing his name, all frequented by celebrities and prominent people in society. He was in town recently to visit his Kuala Lumpur restaurant, and members of the media were treated to a crash course in the art of sushi making.

Chef Nobu demonstrating one of his dishes. He related an interesting story about how a guest once declined to eat sashimi after it was served to the table, saying she ‘didn’t like raw food’. He took it back to the kitchen, heated some oil and then poured it over the sides that the fish would be cooked on the edges, without disrupting the original dish’s presentation. The guest ate it.

What we were making: nigiri sushi and some rolls.

We each got an apron, a board and ingredients at our workstation. Assisted by some of the younger Nobu KL chefs, we were then instructed to roll our sushi rice into a ball. Easier said than done! The rice was extremely sticky, and we soon had bits of rice everywhere. Mine refused to clump properly into any sort of shape. Ended up with the apprentice chef making most of my nigiri for me lmfao

The rolls were much easier as all I had to do was, well, roll it up.

Horrendous. :’D

Making good sushi can take years to master – it is truly an art form. That aside, we ate the sushi we ‘made’. What I can say is the fish was really fresh. lol.

This October, you can get a taste of the “Ode to Nobu” omakase menu, uniquely designed and curated by Chef Nobu himself together with the team of chefs at Nobu Kuala Lumpur. The elegant 7-course menu, available until 31 October 2019, will elevate selected Nobu signature and Malaysia-exclusive dishes, with the addition of luxury ingredients such as caviar, uni and truffle.

We tried some of the dishes, starting off with Seared Kampachi and Scallop Sashimi with Salad. Fat, juicy scallops and thick slices of kampachi (Almaco jack) were served on a bed of greens with an oily but light dressing that brought everything together well. You get the crisp crunch of the vegetables, as well as the sweetness and the ‘meaty’ texture of seafood, all in one bite.

The Cold Inaniwa with Lobster in Watercress Soup was another winner. Served cold, we were treated to a whole lobster claw swimming in an emerald green soup that gets its vibrant colour from the mild, herby watercress. Inaniwa noodles are not as well known as ramen and udon outside of Japan, but they are essentially hand stretched udon with a thinner, chewier texture.

The star of the afternoon was the tender Wagyu Truffle Sansho Pepper Sauce with wasabi purple potato puree, grilled takenoko and baby vegetables. Melt-in-the-mouth does not even begin to describe the fatty, beefy goodness of the meat – it felt like butter dissolving on the tongue. Nobu uses Miyazaki A5 wagyu, the highest grade available. Even without the Sansho Pepper sauce, digging into this was pure bliss.

Ending the meal on a sweet note was the exquisite Soya Panna Cotta on Monaka & Monk Fruit Sorbet with kinako, mocha and kuromame. Loved the delicate pink sakura-flower shaped wafer, and the monk fruit sorbet was both refreshing and intriguing – haven’t seen the fruit used much in desserts other than the Chinese ‘leong sui’.

The ‘Ode to Nobu’ Omakase menu is priced at RM595++ per person.

In addition to the exclusive menu, Nobu Kuala Lumpur has also launched its Sushi master Class, spearheaded by Chef Chico Dator, Head Sushi Chef of NObu Kuala Lumpur. The class will be available on the first Saturday of every month from 11AM to 2PM, with a minimum booking of six persons, two weeks in advance. Guests will have the opportunity to acquire knowledge of sushi making, and the session is inclusive of lunch and a signed Nobu cookbook by the Nobu Kuala Lumpur chefs.

For inquiries or reservations, call +603 2164 5084 or WhatsApp 019-3895085.

Food Review: Hanami High Tea @ Nobu Kuala Lumpur – Too Pretty To Be Eaten!

March 28, 2019March 28, 2019Posted in Food, LifestyleTagged cherry blossoms, dining, Featured, fine dining, food, food photography, hanami, Japanese, Japanese cuisine, Japanese food, Kuala Lumpur, Nobu, Nobu Kuala Lumpur, restaurant review, sakura, spring, spring menuLeave a comment

Nowhere else in the world is a season so strongly associated to a particular bloom, than Japan and its beautiful cherry blossoms. And while the Japanese are undoubtedly excited about going to the park after work/on the weekend to enjoy the scenery, the rest of the world who a) haven’t been able to book their trips and b) can’t afford to travel will have to be content with looking at photos on Insta-feeds. sighs wistfully.

There is hope, however. If you’re in KL (where we also have four ‘seasons’: hot, monsoon, mosquito and durian. lol) and want to experience a slice of Japanese spring, Nobu Kuala Lumpur is having their Hanami high tea sets until end of April, featuring dishes inspired by Japan’s famous cherry blossoms.

The Hanami High Tea sets come in three bento boxes, namely sushi, kitchen and sweet. The sushi box features a selection of cold appetisers, the kitchen has heartier, more substantial bites, while the sweet is perfect for those with a sweet tooth.

For the uninitiated, Nobu is the brainchild of Chef Matsuhisa Nobu, a Japanese celebrity chef known for his Japanese-Peruvian fusion cuisine. The Kuala Lumpur outlet, located on Level 56 of Petronas Tower 3, is a classy space that offers an excellent view of the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, as well as the city skyline. The classy ambience and top notch service immediately puts diners at ease – ideal for a night out with the S/O or intimate dinners with loved ones.

Start with the Hanami Sushi Bento, which comes with a platter of cold dishes, such as creamy Pumpkin Custard and Salmon Asian Pear. Served in a delicate bowl, the pumpkin custard was creamy and rich, topped with salmon roe for a burst of brininess, while the Salmon Asian Pear’s tanginess cut through the fatty salmon well. Served on the side was Datemaki or Japanese omelette – so fluffy it was almost like eating a sponge cake.

Also part of the set was Whitefish Sashimi Salad with Cilantro Dressing, Pine Nuts and Parmesan. A perfect blend of East meets West, the meaty whitefish has a fatty yet firm texture which works wonderfully with the earthy pine nuts and refreshing, herby cilantro.

A simple Potato Salad is elevated with caviar, next to Kinpira Gobo (braised burdock root and carrot). Not a fan of burdock root in general, but those who like its sweet flavour and crunchy texture will enjoy this simple dish.

For something more substantial, opt for the Hanami Kitchen Bento, which comes with a variety of warm dishes. This is good enough for a complete meal imo as portions are generous, especially the shrimps.

Grilled Shrimps with Garlic Aioli. The garlic aioli was creamy but not cloying, almost like a mild mentaiko sauce. Shrimps were giant! The meat was sweet and fresh as well, and I liked how they fried the heads so that you can enjoy them whole.

Probably the most perfectly grilled shrimps I’ve ever seen! A bit of the shell left on and slightly charred for a smoky aftertaste.

Meanwhile, the Soft Shell Crab Harumaki (spring roll) was fried to perfection. The unagi sauce acted as the perfect complement to the light and delicate crab meat.

Rounding up the Hanami Kitchen Set was King Crab Miso with Ponzu sauce, and Sakura Chicken Dumpling With Black Soy Bean Miso. The latter had some curious reactions, as it’s not everyday you see a pink dumpling!

High Tea will not be complete without dessert, and the Hanami Sweet Set comes with four pieces: Sakura Strawberry Ice Cream, Chocolate Chestnut Tart, Fruity Crunchy Bar & Choco Pearls, and White Goma Sponge. Favourite was definitely the Sakura Strawberry Ice Cream, which came with a delicate cookie bowl, as well as the Fruity Crunchy Bar which was a nice balance of sweet and salty with its salted egg yolk coating.

The Hanami High Tea Sets are available on weekends from 30 March until 28 April 2019, priced at RM150++ each.

For reservations, call 03-2164 5084.

NOBU Kuala Lumpur

Level 56, Menara 3 Petronas, Persiaran KLCC, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur.