Frequented by the rich and famous, Nobu opens in Four Seasons Hotel Singapore
Johnny Depp, Al Pacino, Madonna, Leonardo DiCaprio, Bradley Cooper, Tom Ford, Bon Jovi, The Kardashians, the Jenners, Rihanna, George and Amal Clooney, Justin and Hailey Bieber, Selena Gomez – these are just some names in Nobu restaurants' long list of celebrity clientele. Helmed by maestro chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, the Nobu namesake on his 52 restaurants and 13 hotels has become as famous as the celebrities they serve.
And now, Nobu's 51st branch has opened its door at Four Seasons Hotel Singapore.
There are two key firsts for the Singapore iteration of Nobu. Singapore is the only Nobu location in the world to incorporate a designer outdoor Japanese garden. Secondly, a chef’s table is part of a private dining space, which allows for a more intimate experience should one wish for it.
Nobu group of restaurants stood out on their take of traditional Japanese dishes with Peruvian influences, a result of Nobu's experiences in Peru during his younger days. His philosophy is that menus should be a constant study in culinary evolution. His signature dishes, such as Black Cod Miso, Yellowtail Jalapeño, Anticucho Peruvian Style Rib Eye Steak and more reflect those sensibilities.
Learn more about Nobuyuki Matsuhisa in Nobu, a memoir
Here's what we tried.
Edamame with Salt, $8
It's an adequate starter, but I'd suggest checking out the Shishito peppers instead.
Shishito Peppers Den Miso, $16
A far more interesting appetiser than it looks. Fragrant and well seasoned, and nary the bitterness I usually associate with this pepper in other restaurants.
Yellowtail Jalapeño, $39
The first outlier of the night, every yuzu ponzu-laden bite is enhanced by the fragrance of the jalepeño.
Salmon Taco, $10 per piece
Not the most impressive dish, and found lacking in more ways than one.
Whitefish Sashimi Dry Miso, $39
I actually preferred this compared to the yellowtail. The dried brown bits you see on the whitefish? That's the dry miso flakes acting like mini umami bombs.
Sashimi Salad with Matsuhisa Dressing, $44
A salad that you would prefer not sharing, and gets better with each bite.
Rock Shrimp Tempura with Spicy Creamy Sauce, $44
If there's one thing you need to order, it's this crowd-pleaser. While the price tag might seem high, the portion was generous.
Off the menu: Pan-fried Scallops with Japaleño Dressing
This dish is one of Nobu's earliest creation that was on the menu for many years. If it's anything to go by, this is one of the best sauces I've ever had on a scallop.
Black Cod Miso, $68
Nobu's signature, and for good reasons.
Anticucho Peruvian Style Rib Eye Steak, $75
This is possibly the least Japanese-tasting dish on the menu, but comes in an incredibly generous portion, enough to share for maybe 3-4 pax. The reward? Explosion of flavours in every bite.
Sushi (Japanese Red Snapper/Tuna/Yellowtail) and Maki (Spicy Tuna/Prawn Tempura/Soft Shell Crab), price varies
You cannot go wrong with fresh ingredients and well-seasoned sushi rice. In fact, I found this particular part of the meal a welcome break to remind myself that I am in a Japanese restaurant after all.
Still got space for dessert? There are plenty of more-than-adequate dessert on the menu, such as this Nobu Valrhona Dark Chocolate Fondant with Green Tea Ice Cream.
Nobu Singapore will have a bar programme of craft cocktails that changes seasonally, and a sake bar will also offer sake brewed exclusively for Nobu by Hokusetsu brewery in the Niigata prefecture.
Till date, Nobu still flies around the world to ensure that the quality of food is consistent in every restaurant of his. This reliability is part of Nobu's charm – you can expect the food to be as good from United States to Dubai to Singapore. While several of Nobu's restaurants had been stripped of their Michelin stars in the past few years – Nobu's food, months-long reservations list and accolades show that you don't need to be Michelin-approved to be a success in the culinary world.
Nobu Singapore is located at Four Seasons Hotel, 190 Orchard Blvd, Level 3, Singapore 248646. For reservations, email dining.singapore@fourseasons.com or call 6831 7653.
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