TOSS UP PROSPERITY & SAVOUR ROMANCE AT NOBU KL

The king of shellfish rules at Nobu this Chinese New Year. Priced at RM288++, the HARHARHAR Prosperity Platter for two will leave you laughing with delight. A whole shelled lobster to symbolise happiness is complemented by batonettes of jicama, red and white dragonfruit, beets, carrot, tsuma (shredded radish), thin slices of Asian pear, green apple and rose apple, crispy strips of wanton skin, seaweed salad, pine nuts and sesame seeds.

What sets this salad apart is the distinctive mixture of wafu dressing (this itself is a concoction of mirin, soy sauce, rice vinegar and vegetable oil), honey and sour plum sauce that manages to raise the whole ensemble a toss above the ordinary.

Executive Chef Philip Leong and his team also offer a Salmon & White Fish Prosperity Platter (RM188++) using similar salad ingredients. The results is no less pleasing as the salmon and white fish proffer succulent texture that are quite different.

Getting into the Chinese New Year spirit, the Nobu team thoughtfully conjures up Steamed Plaiced with Iwashi Dashi, Goji Berries & Black Moss (RM158++) since fish is considered a symbol of abundance and surplus among the Chinese.

It is on-point dish that ticks all the right boxes for me. The main ingredient — plaice imported from Iceland takes centrestage; its natural sweetness shines through unhampered atop the pool of umami-rich iwashi dashi (Japanese sardine stock). All the attendant black seamoss, goji berries and edamame included are to lend hints of colour, nuance and texture.

Sweet prosperity comes with a touch of whimsy at Nobu in the form of its God of Wealth dessert (RM48++). The rotund white chocolate mousse figurine with pineapple yuzu curd, pineapple filling and cheese sable cookies tastes surprisingly light and refreshing on the palate despite its deceptively decadent appearance.

Gather family and friends to celebrate with these auspicious dishes at Nobu from until 25 February 2019.

When it comes to romancing the day of love, Executive Chef Philip Leong and his team are guided by Nobu’s Japanese-Peruvian culinary philsophy in creating the indulgent 7-course Valentine Omakase menu priced at RM500++ per person.

Available from 13 to 17 February, love birds can dive in with Cured Salmon with Caviar, Beetroot Gel & Nuts before segueing into Assorted Nobu Style Sushi. Then set your pulse racing with an exquisite dish of Seared Botan Ebi with Glazed Vegetable, Wasabi Salsa & Ponzu Sauce.

After sampling the seductive Fresh Water Prawn with Butterfly Pea Flower Dressing, Coral Crumble & Prawn Oil, we daresay it would be hard to resist its siren’s call. Again, the focus lies in allowing the key ingredient to shine — the inherent sweetness of the prawn meat, its flavourful oil and coral.

Another winsome main set to steal hearts is Grilled Wagyu Beef & Bottarga with Corn Cream, Dry Miso Popcorn & Roasted Romanesco. An artful composition, it’s a colourful palette of interesting textures and nuanced flavours that may prove too distracting to passionate foodies but then again, there’s no love sincerer than the love of food...

The evergreen maxim of ‘less is more’ resonates soundly in the speciality of Truffle Rice with Spinach Chazuke. Personally, I’d like to equate it to a simplified Japanese distillation of lap mei farn or rice cooked with waxed sausages and pork. A comforting dish packed with all the hearty, rich and soul-satisfying accents nobody ever tire of eating.

A litle tart with just a touch decadence, the Strawberry Pavlova with Vanilla Cream & Strawberry Jelly is slightly naughty without overdoing it in the dessert department. Piped into a lovely rose bloom, it gives the Valentine’s menu the pretty panache for the occasion.

Better hurry and nab a table now before it’s too late. Call Nobu KL for reservations, tel: 03-2164 5084 or Whatsapp: 019 389 5085.