food comas

Nobu

Chef: Nobu Matsuhisa
Cuisine: Japanese, Fusion
Neighborhood: Tribeca
Price: $100 per person would include appetizers, dessert and plenty of beverages
Phone: (212) 219-0500
Address: 105 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10013

Nobu New York, a joint venture between Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, The Myriad Restaurant Group (also responsible for other Tribeca hotspots Corton, Centrico, Tribeca Grill) and Robert De Niro (who happens to be behind Greenwich Hotel’s Locanda Verde as well) opened in 1994 and is now part of a 23-restaurant food empire. Chef Nobu brings his formative training in the art of sushi from Japan as well as his experience cooking in South America and around the world to create his signature fusion style of eclectic, innovative take on traditional Japanese cuisine.

Unlike its uptown relative, Nobu 57, the flagship location of Nobu New York is more of a cozy neighborhood restaurant, bustling with first daters rather than suits on business dinners. I went to dinner with a couple of friends, and the restaurant did not disappoint.  It is designed by David Rockwell and evokes a very bucolic, organic atmosphere. The color palette is that of the Japanese countryside, birth tree columns hold up the rafters and wall decorations are all themed around plants and flowers.

We ordered some of the signature dishes as well as some nigiri and a tuna roll (not pictured). The quality of the food is excellent, and while I have other restaurants that I prefer for more traditional sushi (Ushiwakamaru and Kurumazushi, for example), Nobu is a solid and reliable dinner choice if you’re in the mood for Japanese fusion.

Sake
I’m not a sake connoisseur, so I’m not sure what we were drinking, but I loved the presentation in this leaning bottle.

FOOD
Fresh Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeño
Classic take on yellowtail tartare, great spicy kick with the jalapeño

Rock Shrimp Tempura with Ponzu or Creamy Spicy Sauce
Nobu is renowned for this dish, and for a good reason. It may not be the healthiest shrimp preparation, but it was amazing. Soft, juicy, spicy — every bite of these made me want to reach for the next one.

Halibut Cheeks with Wasabi Pepper Sauce
Halibut is typically my favorite fish; I love its juiciness and flaky texture. Although I enjoyed the cheeks, they were not my favorite halibut preparation. The vegetables were a nice accompaniment, but in the scheme of the whole dinner, this dish was average.

Black Cod with Miso
This cod is another Nobu classic, and was one of the inspirations for Jen’s Miso Marinated Salmon. This fish is buttery, juicy, and each bite just melts in your mouth.

Sashimi/Nigiri
Toro and yellowtail — the quality of fish was absolutely excellent

Mochi Ice Cream
I never fail to get a serving of mochi if it is on the menu. I love the combination of ice cream and the dough

Zen: Green tea mousse, almond sponge, chocolate praline crunch, green tea cremoso and adzuki bean
This little martini glass packed a punch. I love desserts with green tea flavor and this did not fail.  The airiness of the mousse and the combination of the almond and praline grittiness, chocolate sweetness and green tea really tickled the taste buds.