NOBU KUALA LUMPUR'S SWANKY NEW HOME AT FOUR SEASONS PLACE

A more accessible location with expansive views of the verdant KLCC park and water fountain heralds the ‘homecoming’ of Nobu Kuala Lumpur to the Four Seasons Place Kuala Lumpur.

Having called the Menara 3 Petronas home in the last six years, the swanky new Nobu Kuala Lumpur now flaunts an all-new Sake Room, a state-of-the-art kitchen and several light-filled private dining rooms designed to elevate the dining experience.

According to General Manager of Nobu Kuala Lumpur, Gopi Kanala, the restaurant can seat up to 200 guests but following new norm SOP guidelines, it can seat 130-140 guests comfortably. “Situated in the city’s lifestyle hub means our emphasis on the experiential aspects includes being more child-friendly.”

 

Conceived as an experiential haven for both connoisseurs and newbies, the 12-seater Sake Room will set the stage for immersive food and sake matching experiences; counting among its drawcard a sake from Hokusetsu, Japan that's brewed exclusively for the Nobu Group.

“We have three private dining rooms with a total capacity of 60 persons for small and medium scale events,” says Gopi. “Thanks to our accessible location, and new and improved features, Nobu KL will be the ideal venue for both private and corporate events.”

Over at the impressive state-of-the-art kitchen outfitted with Malaysia’s first and most advanced exhaust system, Executive Chef Philip Leong and his team prepare Nobu’s renowned Japanese-Peruvian specialities for guests to enjoy. Complementing their culinary efforts is Head Sushi Chef Chico and his team over at the Sushi Bar who will have their hands full handcrafting sushi to order.

Cocktails and mocktails should be part and parcel of your gastronomic experience at Nobu KL. The inventive and extensive drinks list especially the cocktails are not to be missed; just seek the friendly resident Bar Captain for recommendations to suit your tastebuds.

Our media preview opened with a sampling platter of Oysters with Nobu Sauces, Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeno and Sashimi Salad with Matsuhisa Dressing.

Served with yuzu and lemon juice, and a dot of Peruvian chilli paste, the plump Japanese oyster was utterly sublime. A baby green peach then cleansed our palate with its fragrant, juicy sweetness.

Then we savoured yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno, served tiradito-style; a typical Peruvian way of anointing slices of raw fish with drizzled yuzu soy sauce. Sliced jalapeno and fresh coriander added heat and herbaceous finish to round off the fish's succulence.

Conceived as a salad of sorts, the sashimi salad featured tuna tataki wrapped in red leaf lettuce with Matsuhisa dressing (chopped onion, shoyu & black pepper). Rich and flavourful, the whole ensemble primed the palate in eager anticipation for the subsequent courses.

Should you be keen to pair the sashimi courses with a cocktail, try the highly recommended Seasons in the Sun – a “Summer” concoction of Hokusetsu Junmai ‘Sado No Shu’, GH Mumm Grand Cordon, Elderflower Syrup and Calpis.

 

We were reminded of the arrival of spring and sakura season when the dainty servings of Foie Gras with Yuzu Marmalade on Sakura Monaka appeared. Adorned with micro greens, the heavenly morsels of seared goose liver and yuzu marmalade were enticingly presented on airy-light sakura-shape wafer shells.

The high point was the Nobu Style Sushi selection especially it included kohada (gizzard shad) – a delicious, subtly briny and vinegar-marinated silver-skinned fish, kanpachi (yellowtail) with coriander, Japanese baby snapper with wasabi salsa and tender scallop with spiced herb.

As expected, the signature Black Cod Miso left us in rapturous delight with its savoury-sweet symphony and sensuously ethereal texture. Any residual richness was tempered by the accompaniments of pickled ginger stem and candied apricot on the side.

Served medium rare, the on-point Angus Beef Tenderloin Truffle Teriyaki proved Nobu Kuala Lumpur’s readiness in cutting a swathe in the city’s dining scene.

To herald its return, a decadent creation of Nobu Cheesecake with Raspberry Cream on Sesame Crumble, accompanied by a delightfully refreshing scoop of Yuzu Strawberry Sorbet seemed most befitting to wrap up our meal on a sweet note.

For reservations at Nobu Kuala Lumpur, call tel: 03 2380 0028 or WhatsApp: +6 019 389 5085. ADDRESS: L4A-05, Level 4A Shoppes at Four Season Place, 145 Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur. 

LOTS TO CROW ABOUT AT SHANGHAI

Steamboat or more accurately, a charcoal-fuelled hot pot is the festive favourite bill of fare for Chinese New Year for Executive Chinese Chef Wong Wing Yeuk of Shanghai Restaurant.

The affable chef revealed this interesting nugget during the Q&A session with media and bloggers after we had savoured a selection of his classic Shanghainese creations to welcome the Year of the Rooster.

Starting from RM238 nett per person, Shanghai will be offering both set and a la carte menus throughout the festive celebration until 11 February. Richly furnished in red and gold hues, Shanghai is an exquisite haven for Shanghainese cuisine by Chef Wong.

The chef explains the restaurant’s Yee Sang is specially created to cater to local custom as the dish is non-existent in China. For those who wish to lou hei, the festive salad can be accompanied by a choice of abalone, salmon, lobster, sea urchin, octopus or fresh fruit strips.

Although the various colours appeared muted in Shanghai’s version of Yee Sang those served at some Chinese restos, we spotted fresh grapes with strips of rose apple, musk melon and snow pear instead of pre-packed crisps in striking hues. It was the sauce that caught our imagination with zingy bursts of wasabi making its presence felt on our palate. Inspired by the Japanese sashimi-eating practice, Chef Wong had reinterpreted the shoyu and wasabi combo as the premise for his titillating Yee Sang sauce.

His inclusion of ‘fermented’ black garlic also brought surprisingly complex depth to the Double-boiled Superior Fish Maw Soup with Black Chicken and Cordycep Flowers. Interestingly, black garlic is produced by ‘fermenting’ whole bulbs of fresh garlic in a heated, humidity-controlled temperature environment for up 30 days. 

Then the bulbs are left to oxidize for 45 days, turning the garlic black and soft, tasting like balsamic vinegar or soy sauce with mild prune-like sweetness. A spot-on description for the soupy tonic we imbibed albeit much more salubrious from the pricey ingredients such as dried scallop, fish maw and bamboo pith in it.

An intoxicating whiff and accent of brandy was discernible the instant we bit into the chef’s signature Pan-fried Cod with a touch of Brandy. That flash of boozy warmth and subtle gingery hotness served to amplify the natural fish sweetness, transforming it into a gastronomic delight.

The enticing muskiness of black truffle stealthily reached our nostrils way before plates of Shanghainese Seafood Noodles with Black Truffle Paste hit our table. Despite the noodles plain Jane appearance, the eventual taste was anything but. Hand-made by Chef Wong, the silky strands was suffused with soul-satisfying nuances bestowed by a stock base of Chinese ham, old chicken and lean pork used to cook the noodles. 

Naturally, no visit to Shanghai would be complete without a sampling of its famed Steamed Shanghainese Meat Dumplings or xiao loong bao. We admired the dumpling’s translucent skin which was sturdy enough to hold its catchment of broth without bursting before we savoured it.

This dainty offering paved the way for Chilled Cream of Sago with Seasonal Mango & Pomelo accompanied by sticky-chewy slices of Pan-fried Glutinous Rice Cakes with Sesame Seeds to ensure our preview finished on a positive note.

For reservations and enquiries, please call Shanghai, tel: 03-2719 8288. Address: Level 1, JW Marriott Hotel KL, Jalan Bukit Bintang, KL.