Nobu, a famed restaurant opened by Japanese celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa, can be found worldwide in places like Las Vegas, London, Mexico, Sydney, Dubai & more. Their latest location? Singapore.
Nobu Singapore Review
Receiving a lot of buzz for the outlet at Four Seasons Hotel Singapore, one had to join a waiting list for a chance to dine at Nobu. Taking up space on the 3rd floor of Four Seasons, Nobu went all out to create a gorgeous dining environment for customers.
We were seated at the bar area of Nobu, right next to the entrance, before we were directed to our seats. While waiting, we got some cocktails such as the Nobu Soju Dragon ($27) and Akashi Ume Sour ($26) which were all refreshing and pleasant.
Once our table was ready, we were led to the main dining hall where we were met with bright and loud Japanese greetings the moment we stepped in. The interior featured wooden elements and a gorgeous ceiling with green and botanical elements.
The attention-grabber in the dining room was the sushi counter, where you can see multiple chefs prepping and churning out your food items. There were also a couple of private dining rooms and one corner with a teppanyaki grill.
Nobu Singapore Menu
Yellowtail Jalapeno
The first item we had was the Yellowtail Jalapeno ($39), a pretty well-known dish when it comes to Nobu. Plated beautifully with an individual slice of jalapeno on top of each plump yellowtail slice, we were recommended by the service staff to pair it with the coriander in the middle of the best flavour. True enough, the coriander added a layer of freshness to the salty and spicy notes.
Oysters with Nobu Sauces
The oysters come with 3 different Nobu sauces ($30) from ponzu based to even one topped with salsa. While they were fresh and delicious, the small green peaches, known as Wakamomo, served alongside the oysters were a great palette cleanser that left a great impression.
Toro Tartare with Caviar
Even if thrown together mindlessly, the Toro Tartare with Caviar ($54) is probably a dish that would taste good anywhere thanks to the ingredients used. It was one where the toro and caviar did all the work, with the dish bursting with umami flavours complemented by the wasabi soy sauce.
Whitefish Tiradito
Tiradito may sound unfamiliar to many, but it’s actually a Peruvian dish that’s similar to sashimi and carpaccio. The Whitefish Tiradito ($32) had elements of yuzu and lemon juice, coupled with a spice that made the dish more interesting and layered.
Baby Spinach Salad Dry Miso
An unexpected hit for the night was the Baby Spinach Salad Dry Miso ($26) which was mind-blowingly delicious. Encompassing a balanced composition of salty and sour elements, the dish was both appetizing and savoury at the same time. While the pile of crunchy spinach leaves may look like it’s been topped with parmesan, it’s actually dry miso shavings!
Nobu Tacos
Coming in two variations, Salmon ($7) & Tuna ($9), the Nobu Tacos are bite-sized and honestly, nothing special. Give this a miss and go for the other menu items.
Black Cod Miso
How can we visit Nobu without giving the signature Black Cod Miso ($68) a try? Flaking off easily yet with the layers of the cod fish very clear and defined, the dish is a winner in terms of texture. The caramelized skin adds a nice smokiness and sweetness to the buttery fish which was served with pickled ginger steam and pickled apricot.
Rock Shrimp Tempura with Creamy Spicy Sauce
While the Rock Shrimp Tempura with Creamy Spicy Sauce ($54) was cooked perfectly, it just didn’t wow us in terms of flavour. Reminiscent of a thousand island sauce, this tasted like something one can get at weddings or zhi-char stalls. However, kudos to the texture of the shrimps.
A5 Japanese Wagyu Beef
Served alongside 3 different sauces, the A5 Japanese Wagyu Beef ($98 per 75g) came with a fiery show. Cooked to perfection, you can choose to dip it in a teriyaki sauce, wasabi-based sauce, or even a Peruvian spicy sauce, which immediately turned the dish from a Japanese one to a more exotic one.
Wagyu Dumplings with Spicy Ponzu
Perhaps it was the sequence of foods that caused us to be unimpressed by the Wagyu Dumplings with Spicy Ponzu ($50). While each dumpling was packed with juices, it simply didn’t wow us. And for the price point, you can get better dishes at Nobu.
Sashimi Selection and House Special Sushi Maki
The last dish to be served was the Sashimi Selection ($155) alongside the House Special Sushi Maki ($32) which we thought should’ve been served towards the start of the meal. Nevertheless, the Sashimi Selection featured slices of Mackerel, Tuna, Yellowtail & more which was slightly underwhelming.
The House Special Sushi Maki featured a medley of seafood such as tuna, yellowtail, shrimp & more, with spring onions and creamy avocado wrapped with fluffy rice and seaweed, and an additional layer of daikon radish for a crispy finish.
Desserts
For desserts, the items that left the best impression were the Nobu Cheesecake ($21) and Apple Lychee Pavlova ($23). The Nobu Cheesecake was creamy and decadent, served alongside a raspberry wasabi sorbet while the Apple Lychee Pavlova was a meringue with apple jam, lychee curd and yuzu sorbet.
There was also the Bento Box ($24) which came with a Nobu Valrhona Dark Chocolate Fondant with green tea ice cream and the Melon Shiso Kakigori ($22), which is an extravagantly plated Melon Shaved Ice with coconut cream, fresh melon, coconut sorbet and shiso syrup.
Nobu, Japanese Restaurant in Singapore
The big question is, will we head back to Nobu? Yes, for special occasions while avoiding some of the menu items.
Nobu Singapore
190 Orchard Blvd, Level 3, Singapore 248646
Mon-Sun, 6pm-10:30pm
*This is an independent review by MiddleClass.sg.
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