How to dine Like a banker at Hong Kong’s Nobu, according to Nobu himself
Nobu at the Regent Hotel in Kowloon this week were in for a treat as celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa was in the city to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the reopening of his namesake restaurant in Hong Kong. To mark the event, he hosted special omakase meals for two days.
Though some dishes weren’t featured on the regular menu, they still evoked the Peruvian-Japanese flavors that made his sushi restaurants — now numbering 56 worldwide — a hive for the rich, famous, gluttonous and now me.
With their boss in the room, one could sense the servers were extra spiffy. It was also nearly a full house, a rarity on a weekday night these days, I’m told.
Among the highlights of the HK$1,888 ($243) set meal included the melt-in-your-mouth A5 wagyu with mushrooms, the lobster with cream sauce, and his signature parade of sushi and sashimi.
My favorite was the seaweed taco filled with hamachi and sea urchin — the perfect umami bomb. A handful of dishes were slightly imbalanced, like the mackerel pico de gallo with harsh red onions, but otherwise it was all tasty.
As to the decor, it resembled a wood-paneled, low-lit wing of a luxury ryokan, with lovely wraparound views of Victoria Harbour.
Yes, it’s good for business meetings, with enough space between tables, including semi-private circular booths, plus a 15-seat private room.
I asked Chef Nobu what bankers should order to impress clients and he recommended the classics: black cod miso (HK$380), yellowtail and jalapeño sushi maki (HK$130) and his miso salad with lobster and pear (HK$320).
I would add the wagyu flambé (HK$480 per 75 grams) if you really want fireworks.
I also took the occasion to briefly interview Chef Nobu about the restaurant industry and his next steps. His
