It might be celebrating 25 years since it first made its mark on the London food scene, but there's a reason Nobu has not just survived, but thrived. With the Berkeley Street branch a long-time favourite among celebrities, the Shoreditch branch opened a few years back in the Nobu hotel and brought its slick menu to East London.
Visiting on a weeknight the dining room soon filled up with a mix of city workers and date nights, while the sleek bar and terrace offered a spot for a quiet post-prandial cocktail. We were indulged with a selection of dishes made by the chef, each more delicious that the last. Salmon sashimi, almost semi-seared on top, all but disintegrated on the tongue such was its buttery texture. Losbter tacos with wasabi sour creamprovided a delightful kick with each bite. The tuna sashimi salad with a sweet and spicy dressing was almost too tasty to be so healthy. We adored the lobster tempura, crisp little morsels balanced on a cube of watermelon with a ponzu sauce. The sushi is to die for - one could be forgiven for just stuffing your gills with the maki rolls and ngiri; there's a reason this place is famous. The main event however has to be Nobu's Miso Black Cod. Utterly sensational; sweet and sticky, delicately flaky and richly indulgent whilst managing to be so light on the tongue. It really is sublime. It would be remiss to skip pudding; a deconstructed whipped cheesecake and a warm molten middle chocolate pudding finished us off. Quite literally.
London nikkei joints may be more popular than ever but with Nobu being the OG, this is a hotspot worth splashing out on.
