Walking into its art- and gold-lined hallways, I was astounded during my first visit to Nobu KL in Shoppes at Four Seasons Place. The Nobu name needs little introduction to anyone familiar with fine Japanese cuisine (heck, it’s one of Taylor Swift’s favourite restaurants). I had the greatest pleasure to preview their 10 Year Anniversary Omakase menu, in conjunction with the establishment celebrating its decade of excellence.

Those in the scene remember Nobu KL at its former location — Petronas Tower 3, where it was the world’s highest Nobu at the time (a record now held by Nobu Bangkok). They relocated to the current venue amidst the pandemic and lockdowns.

Typically an omakase menu at Nobu changes every month; The anniversary special menu will be available throughout the year, with the occasional tweak where they incorporate seasonal specials like cherry blossoms. Even more excitingly, October will see A-list celebrities including Nobu co-founder and actor Robert de Niro, as well as Chef Nobu Matsuhisa himself coming to Malaysia to celebrate the monumental decade Nobu KL has had.

Executive Chef Philip Leong heads the team at Nobu KL. Notably, he does not completely document his recipes and secrets, so the dishes of yesteryears may not be as they were, rather going through continuous evolution and updates with new knowledge and techniques to reflect the dynamic artistry at Nobu.

All of the courses part of the special omakase are Nobu KL signatures across its history, including those that were no longer on the menu in later years, such as the Beetroot Chilean Seabass, and current favourites like the Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeño.

We dined in the Sake Room next to the sushi counter, ambience is quite lively with vibey music playing that transitioned from a warm instrument to a more upbeat atmosphere through the evening.

Starter

An unexpected starter, we were presented with a Tuna Tartare topped with a unique soy and cucumber sauce. The fish was of top quality and had a clean finish; a strong start.

A light bubbly Moet & Chandon “Imperial” kicked off the beverage programme. Crisp and refined.

Nori Taco with Caviar

Double-layered roasted nori taco was served in an eye-catching presentation atop a raft fashioned out of bamboo twigs, giving a rustic meets elevated feeling. The crunchy seaweed shell embraces a silky avocado purée and a row of caviar, the perfect umami-creamy-crisp bite. The champagne was a good match for the caviar’s salinity.

Sashimi Moriawase

A beautiful assortment of aged fish dressed with a ponzu dressing, each came with distinct toppings that complimented the natural flavour of the fish. The four varieties of sashimi were accompanied by a flight of four premium sakes, paired in a clockwise rotation, all exclusively crafted for Nobu.

The attention to detail cannot go unstated, every garnish, position and orientation were thought out thoroughly for the best experience possible; It is always a good sign when the dishes look exactly like the official press photos.

At the 12 o’clock position, the Oyster Tiradito was fantastic with its briny and sweet flavours. Texture was also great — plump, smooth and creamy. Topped simply with flaked salt for a crunch and a touch for heat from pepper similar to yuzu kosho.

The sake pairing with Nobu Daiginjo YK35 complimented the briny savouriness of the oyster with high notes of peach and pineapple. Also a swell pairing for me.

One of Chef Nobu’s signature creations was born out of a customer’s dislike of raw fish: Salmon New Style Sashimi sees a slice of blush-pink salmon half-cooked only by its sweet soy sauce, heated to high temperatures. The salmon I had was quite fatty and had a buttery flavour that lingered on the palate.

The paired sake, a Nobu Junmai Daiginjo TK40, had a malty flavour with palpable sweetness; paired swimmingly with the yellowtail.

The Yellowtail Jalapeño is a Nobu classic and constant on the menu. The fish had a fresh, clean flavour, with a slice of jalapeño bringing the heat. It was not as spicy as I would have thought though. Among the four sashimi courses, this was the most balanced fish and dressing pair.

Paired with a sweet Nobu Junmai Daiginjo sake, which was my favourite of the flight. It was a very easy drink and deceptively potent, that feels hot through the nose.

Rounding out the sashimi course, Whitefish Dry Miso was a rich cut that left a satisfying slick on the lips. Flavour was milder compared to the other fishes but its richness asks that it go last.

The most premium of Nobu KL’s sake collection, Nobu Daiginjo YK35 Shizuku accompanied the whitefish course. This sake is painstakingly produced through a slow-dripping method and has a low yield. It’s less sweet than the one before it, and has a more bitter finish that lingers; I’m not the biggest fan of it though.

Nobu-Style Sushi

The sushi course was comprised of four nigiri: ika (squid), botan ebi (sweet prawn), hamachi (yellowtail) and otoro (fatty tuna belly) served family-style.

I started with the squid nigiri — it’s pearlescent whiteness called out to me, and in my mind it was the mildest of the bunch so it’s only fitting to go first. The squid was surprisingly thick and had a firm bite compared to the softer fish that followed. If you ask me, squid sashimi and sushi are underrated gems.

Both the hamachi and botan ebi were excellent. The latter had a touch of spice to it, adding dimension to its silky savoury shrimpiness.

Otoro is a prized cut for a reason. My favourite of the assortment, it was so soft and meltingly good with a moreish fattiness.

The Nobu Ongakushu Koshu “Music Sake” pairing was light, semi-dry, and fruity with touch of minerality.

Chilean Seabass

Freshly flown in seabass off the coasts of Chile is served in three preparations: Beetroot, Umami, and Shiso Salsa. The portions were quite generous, a big hunk of fish that is firm but flakes to the fork.

The highlight of the evening for me was the Chilean Seabass with Beetroot Miso. Something about the vibrant red glaze just felt so inviting. The fish was sweet as a sea bass would be, but bolstered by the charred beetroot sauce. Initially I thought there was roasted corn in the sauce but later learnt that it’s from an intense charring of the beetroot to produce smokiness.

Side note: The green orb on the side was SO GOOD!!! My immediate reaction was: WHAT IS THAT??? Later, I learnt that is a Japanese green baby peach called wakamomo. It is quite a rare thing to have, with flavour similar to a combination of plums and peaches. Absolutely divine!

The Umami Chilean Seabass goes hard on the natural umami of vegetables and seaweed, concentrated and imparting depth of flavour. Quick pickled onions cut through the intensity of the marinade. Enjoyable but quite heavy.

The Shiso Salsa had a bit of spice, taking cues from Nobu’s Nikkei roots, and giving mignonette vibes with its acidity and shallots. Shiso leaf had a peppery bite to it but I thought it was quite mild.

An Argentinian Terrazas Reserva Chardonnay with high minerality and spice sang with the fish. This was my favourite course on the menu.

Wagyu Goma Truffle

The main entrée was an A5 Wagyu steak, served with a truffle and goma (sesame) sauce inspired by our local satay peanut sauce. The beef was so soft that can be cut with a spoon (I mistakenly used the back of the knife and it still worked). The charred crust provided bitter contrast to the fatty rich flavour as expected of high quality Wagyu. On the side were black seaweed and grilled vegetables. I would have liked for the beef to be more seasoned/salty and not rely so much on the sauce.

The red wine pairing is lovely, deep and dark. The dry Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir had pungency and was bold enough to go with the beef.

Chestnut Meringue Flambe 

Dessert had a gorgeous presentation — Chestnut Meringue flambeed with Roku gin at the table and a dash of cinnamon that sparked flares with the gin’s flame, very theatrical. The meringue was lovely, with a nice crunchy exterior and not as sweet as I thought. There were pop rocks (or similar) hidden within the tart cherry compote, which surprised me greatly but an enjoyable eating experience nonetheless.

Espresso martini to go with the dessert course was super strong, not as sweet as ones you’d find in cocktail bars with a very coffee-forward with a floral boozey finish. Actually I really welcomed this drink after all the drinks I had, would like it a tad sweeter though.

I was thoroughly impressed by the quality and service Nobu showed me this evening.

With premium Japanese dining establishments mushrooming across the city (and the world), Nobu continues to stand out with its creativity, aesthetic, branding and hospitality. Chef Nobu’s core philosophy and goal for his restaurants is that every customer should leave with a smile.

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The 10th Anniversary Omakase is priced at RM900++, with the optional but very encouraged beverage programme for RM475++, available throughout 2025. Thank you to Nobu for having Nacre over to experience this special menu.

Nobu Kuala Lumpur
L4A-05, Level 4A,
Shoppes at Four Seasons Place,
145, Jalan Ampang,
50450 Kuala Lumpur

Operation Hours: 11.30AM-2.00PM, 6.00-10.00PM daily
T: +603-2380 0028
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