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2010-05-29
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We arrived and had our table by the windows changed, as even though the view was scenic, the hard wooden hairs were uncomfortable....Having never dined here before, we opted for the bento box lunch sets so we could try several things. We decided on two Nobu's Signature ($298), and one Hong Kong Bento ($308) box. Nobu's Signature Bento BoxThe 'set' was made of two boxes of three and two compartments, so five small dishes altogether. We were told to eat the hot food first, then cold. The hot food
Having never dined here before, we opted for the bento box lunch sets so we could try several things. We decided on two Nobu's Signature ($298), and one Hong Kong Bento ($308) box.
Nobu's Signature Bento Box
The 'set' was made of two boxes of three and two compartments, so five small dishes altogether. We were told to eat the hot food first, then cold. The hot food included rock shrimp tempura, black cod saikyo yaki, nobu 'fried rice'. Cold dishes were 3pcs of different sushi, and a maki roll, and a seared tuna salad.
I was excited about the shrimp tempura when I looked at it but it was not crunchy at all, and was over-dressed by a rich sauce which tasted a bit like mayo/thousand island mixed together. The batter was thin enough but it was so pale it was clearly not fried at a high enough heat. Shrimps were very good in quality, but was spoilt by the cooking method. The black cod was good. The fillet was well cooked with the outer sides slightly burnt from cooking which gave it a crisp texture. The insides were soft and flakey I wanted more! I know saikyo is a sweet miso and a lot of sugar is added to the marinade, but none of that was tasted in the fish..perhaps an extra day of marinating would have given it more of the flavour i was looking for. As for the 'fried rice', it was more like rice which was shaped into a cylindrical 'cake', and fried, with seafood and some peppers on top. The seafood was tiny shrimps and squid, with no flavour. The rice was bland and tasted really really oily.
As for the cold dishes, they were pretty good except for the dressing on the tuna. It was so strong and so much of it was on top of the tuna that it masked the whole tuna. It was sodium-overdose in this salad! The sushi was good, but better if they were colder.
Hong Kong Bento Box
Again, it was recommended that the hot foods be eaten first. Hot items included Nobu 'fish and chips' and chicken teriyaki. Cold items included a cold udon with sesame sauce, a rare beef salad, and sashimi (3 kinds) including tuna.
The chicken teriyaki was very good. Marinated very well and the chicken meat was so tender despite being from the breast. I did not try the fish and chips, but was told it was pretty good with a little lemon squeezed on top. The udon was excellent - there was a perfectly poached egg on top which the egg yolk when pierced, dressed the udon noodles very well. The sesame sauce which was provided was also very good.
The sashimi was good, except again it would have been better if colder. We were advised to eat the hot items first so they wouldn't get cold. But the same happens this way... the cold items, having sat for a while at room temperature, are no longer 'cold'.
Service was worse than the food. All the Chinese waiters/waitresses that served us were very pressuring - to order drinks other than tea and dessert when we were clearly stuffed, ranting on about their menu which already explained each dish and just over-doing it in general. I felt stressed listening to him!
Suffice to say, I won't be back any time soon for lunch. For 300 per head i can do so much better else where with better service and food.
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