Nobu - Burswood

NOBU

Nobu restaurant at the Burswood Entertainment Complex (Now Crown Perth)  is a world-famous modern Japanese fusion restaurant with 27 restaurants throughout the world.
I have been dying to dine at Nobu Perth since it was newly opened at the Crown Perth in September 2012.
Spoilt to the max, I was surprised with a dinner here just recently.
Our dinner reservation was at 6.00pm but as we arrived early, we were seated in the bar to wait until the restaurant opened. The bar is styled similarly to Nobu restaurant in tones of gold, olive and brown, where bright gold globes of light circle the centre of the room making an architecturally divine lantern chandelier. This chandelier is also featured as a centrepiece in the main dining room.
Promptly seated after 6.00pm, we take our seats and are pleasantly offered drinks to start. We are asked if we have been to Nobu before, and upon our reply, “no,” we are told the menu is designed for sharing. I glance down at the pages of the menu and my eyes excitedly dash from page to page, buzzing with anticipation of the food to come. Our waiter suggested we choose two to three cold dishes, followed by two to three hot dishes. The extensive menu has the usual Japanese suspects – Sashimi, sushi, tempura, teppanyaki and teriyaki – but each with a touch of elegance and a unique Nobu twist.
We decide on:

Cold Dishes

·         Nobu Style Ceviche: - Mix Seafood $22

·         Scallop Tiradito $20

Signature hot dishes

·         Nasu Miso $9 (eggplant)

·         Scallops with Wasabi Pepper or Spicy Garlic Sauce $24

·         Chicken Yakimono with Balsamic Teriyaki $32

(Choice of Sauces: Wasabi Pepper, Anticucho, Teriyaki, or Balsamic Teriyaki)

Wood oven

·         Octopus and mushroom with garlic butter yuzu

Much to our dismay, but to the delight of our bank account, we restrained from ordering the Black Cod Miso (AU$46), which is Nobu’s much talked about signature dish. I just couldn’t possibly justify $46 on a piece of fish when there were so many other delicious sounding dishes to try! Slightly regret not splurging on this masterpiece but it just means I now have a reason to come back!

Nobu Style Ceviche: - Mix Seafood $22

The Mix Seafood Nobu Style Ceviche was beautifully plated with a clam topping the mountain of seafood packed on top of a golden lemon garlic broth. Bright red and yellow cherry tomatoes popped against the golden sauce and seafood which created a pleasantly colourful dish. The raw salmon and white fish were silky smooth, slipperly on the palate and the poached prawn pieces added a slightly chewing-element to the dish. The strong lemon garlic sauce dominated the tastebuds but the strong flavour complimented the subtle taste of the fresh seafood. I found this dish an absolute delight to eat.

The Scallop Tiradito came plated as a circle of cucumber and pearl white raw scallops, each decorated with a touch of chilli sauce. Dusted with a Japanese chilli pepper and garnished with coriander, this was another winner. I fondled with my chopsticks trying to combine all the ingredients into one mouthful so that I could crunch lightly into the crisp cucumber as the scallops melted in my mouth delicately. The chilli heat was subtle but plenty to not overpower the dish. There is something magical about the sweetness of a raw scallop as it slips down your throat with a faint chilli kick.

The Nasu (eggplant) miso was one of my favourite dishes of the night! Coming in at the cheapest and being a huge eggplant fanatic, I was ever-so eager to try this eggplant dish.

The baby eggplants came plated with a caramel soy dressing and crisp lemon wedge. The crisp, hard skins of the eggplant provided a rough surface for the molten eggplant flesh inside. The miso dressing was salty and with the addition of the lemon and caramel soy, a delightful sour and sweet element was added. The caramel soy was a sticky sweet caramelised indulgence in which I did not hesitate in scraping my plate squeaky clean. I found it a difficult dish to manoeuvre elegantly, as the eggplant was a size that needed halving upon one mouthful but with only chopsticks and a hard skin, this was impossible! All-in was the result! Upon breaking through the rough, sturdy skin, the eggplant flesh melted on my palate and I tasted the sweet and salty miso, combined with the sour lemon – a gastronomic delight!

I could have eaten eight more of these plates, but I am very bias with my love for eggplant!

The balsamic teriyaki sauce intrigued me and so the Chicken Balsamic Teriyaki Yakimono was next! This dish was larger in size than expected, but in a good way! Glistening balsamic teriyaki sauce was drizzled over the chicken, providing a sweet element of moisture to the meat which lay in its sticky goodness. The chicken was garnished with a few al dente sprigs of asparagus, steamed carrots and mushrooms. The chicken skin was barbequed to the point where large crispy scales topped the breast of the chicken and provided a distinct char-grilled flavour. The chicken itself was cooked well, however if I were to be fussy, it definitely needed the juice of the balsamic teriyaki sauce to moisten the meat as without the sauce I could almost deem the chicken to be on the dry-side (eekk – dare I say it!).

The sweet, yet tart sharpness of the teriyaki sauce was deliciously addictive and I was scraping the plate clean to get as much of this on the chicken as possible!

With a generous serve of the chicken, Jack nearly subbed out of dinner as he announced he was very full at this point of the meal. I was only getting started and my excitement grew for our last two dishes!  

The Scallops with Spicy Garlic Sauce came out unexpectedly resembling a simple vegetable stir fry. The bright, crunchy asparagus, capsicums and beautifully spongy mushrooms were plentiful and nutritious. The scallops were tender, plump and cooked wonderfully. The distinct sweetness of the scallops were celebrated with the tasty garlic sauce. I enjoyed this dish thoroughly but felt a little underwhelmed as I expected a little more from the dish. The sauce was not particularly spicy and the dish as a whole was similar to many of the stir fries I have sampled in…dare I say it… the average Asian restaurants in Perth. I guess the difference here was the perfect crunch from the vegetables – not overcooked or soggy and the wonderfully fresh and juicy scallops which singed sweetness.

Our last dish of the night was the Octopus and mushroom with garlic butter yuzu. Served in a clay pot, the tentacles of the octopus popped from the rich buttery sauce, beneath the abundance of various plump, juicy mushrooms. Swiss brown, button and enoki mushrooms dominated this dish as the octopus was cooked to a lovely springy texture. The garlic butter yuzu was a very strong, distinct flavour in the dish. The powerful taste of preserved lemons (the yuzu I presume) overtook much of any other flavour in the sauce and although I quite enjoyed the buttery sensation on my palate with the sour tang from the preserved lemons, this dish became quite sickly sweet after the first few mouthfuls and even more so when I accidentally took a bite of the preserved lemons in the sauce. I found myself dodging the slices of preserved lemons in the sauce and picking out the deliciously juicy assortment of mushrooms and tentacles of octopus.

Overall the service at Nobu was outstanding. To a level I have not experienced before. Upon placing my chopsticks down on my plate, like a magpie, the waiter swooped in to steal my plate. As this attentiveness was at first impressive, I found myself trying to defend my plate at a couple of occasions when I was still cleaning up the last of the deliciously addictive caramel soy or scraping up that balsamic teriyaki with the last of the chicken left on the plate. As pleasant and friendly as the staff were, this overly keen attention to clear our plates became a little off-putting. Especially because I was making clear visual cues that I was still finishing my meal at many occasions - note - chopsticks in hand!

However I must note that our overall experience at Nobu was wonderful, the food was very impressive.

I love the shout of “welcome” in Japanese the staff sing each time new guests enter the restaurant.

I love the décor, golden globes and elegantly decorated tables.

I will be back to try the Black Miso Cod specialty!

2012 Top Eats

2012 has been the year that led me to my love for Japanese cuisine and my exploration through the country of Vietnam, giving me the opportunity to taste the Vietnamese flavours you just can’t experience here in Perth!

There have been many ‘firsts’ in 2012, but my biggest was the first time I started to eat meat other than seafood!

Chicken started the craze and soon to follow was duck, pork, pate, turkey, beef (including raw beef), crocodile and even FROG! (but that’s another story)

This is not to say I eat red meat regularly, but chicken is on the menu at least 6 days a week and I’m open to trying new meats when I can!

Lettuce Muncher has evolved into a Chicken Chomper!

I have listed my ‘Top Eats for 2012’ as the places in Perth I have had great food experiences at and generally can rely on for a great feed!

At number five is Chapels on Whatley in Maylands.

I can always rely on Chapels for great bottom-less tea and my usual big breakfast with poached eggs, smoked salmon, spinach, tomatoes and mushrooms! This was the place that got me hooked on New Norcia Bakery’s Fig and Fennel sourdough! You can’t deny the restaurant has a great atmosphere where you can sit inside and surround yourself in Japanese tea ornaments and china tea sets, or outside in the courtyard under big red umbrella’s.

5. Chapels on Whatley

Number four is Mr Munchies Sushi

An ‘Our Deal’ online voucher we purchased gave us the opportunity to try the newest member to the Mt Lawley restaurant strip on Beaufort Street!

Mr Munchies is the first Sushi establishment in Australia to offer customers a chance to customise their sushi – build your own from scratch!

As appealing as this process was, we were too tempted to try the already made combinations on offer!

A great little sushi joint for fresh sushi, made exactly how you like it - right in front of your eyes!

4. Mr Munchies Sushi.

Mango Chicken sushi

Number three is Is Donburi in Northbridge.

I can always rely on fresh seafood, meat cooked to perfection where the chicken falls from your fork and value for money at Is Donburi.

I absolutely love their Seafood Salad where I can guarantee a generous amount of fresh seafood including salmon, kingfish, tuna, prawn, squid and seaweed with a sweet punch of chilli-apple dressing for only $11.50!

I have been here numerous times and tried nearly every item on their menu! The only hesitation I have is with their sushi – nothing too special or exciting, and in my opinion lacks general flavour or spark. However, their Bento Box meal deals are unbelievably good value!  

3. Is Donburi - Northbridge

Fish Katsu Curry Business Bento Box with the Sashimi Salad

Number two is S&T Thai in Northbridge.

The little gem that when you discover you either:

a)    Tell everyone you know as you are amazed at it’s deliciousness, or

b)    Tell no one, so that you can keep the Thai secret all to yourself!

Authentic Thai food at such a great price tag! Guaranteed spicy and creamy curries and some of the best Pad Thai I’ve had in Australia!

If you want to dive head first into the coconut sensations of simple, authentic and unpretentious Thai cuisine, S&T Thai have you covered!

2. S&T Thai

Prawn Pad Thai

Number one has to go to a Japanese restaurant where the flavour combinations of typical Japanese food is transforms where each dish is given a unique modern twist!  

Bonsai Japanese Restaurant in Northbridge is one of those places I wish I had discovered earlier!

Prompt and attentive service, gorgeous romantic atmosphere with dim lighting and food to bring your taste-buds alive!

Terms such as “caramel soy,” “cajun,” “miso broth” and “butter soy” made me so excited to order I couldn’t simply decide!

Sashimi so fresh you could feel the kick of the fish tail as it was plucked from the ocean, teriyaki chicken meat so tender it fell apart at the touch of your fork and intoxicating sophisticated Japanese flavours that opens your mind on Japanese cuisine.

Although Bonsai has a nice little “Perth” price tag attached, I constantly battle the craving of the “caramel soy” dishes!

1. Bonsai Japanese in Northbridge

Salmon Sashimi on Asparagus

I have to make a special mention to Jessie's Curry Kitchen in Inglewood. Discovered upon my recent move to Maylands, Jessie’s has provided us with endless last minute takeaway orders for Indian curries that make your taste buds dance Bollywood style!

Run by a gorgeous couple and their family, Jessie’s will, without-fail, have a spice-intoxicating, creamy butter chicken on request! Hugely generous in servings and meat always cooked to maintain moisture, Jessie’s is a Maylands local secret and undeniably our go-to take-away when we can’t be bothered cooking and need a big hug from India in our bellies!

 



And that brings 2012 to a delicious close!

May 2013 for Lettuce Muncher bring undiscovered taste sensations, many meat trials and of course, good company to share the wow-moments that food gives!

Juice!

I have recently acquired a juicer and have become quite the experimenter in the kitchen!

You learn quite quickly (and with a lot of mess) what fruits and veggies are juiced well and what flavor combinations go together.

I have discovered the wonderfully spicy, earthy addition of ginger really gives my metabolism a kick start in the morning and the fresh, sharp punch from fresh mint leaves add liveliness and zing to any juice I am making!

My favourite juice concoction of late is carrot, apple, ginger and orange juice:

I have also experimented with beetroot which has a really earthy, root flavour and unusual texture which reminds me of any root vegetable. Not one for the faint hearted, you must be able to swallow that distinct raw root vegetable taste and handle the ultra deep pink colour your juice will turn!

This juice below is beetroot, orange, apple and ginger:

I love the fact that you can pretty much put anything into that blender (not your finger) and create a fresh and healthy mix of fruits and vegetables.

What’s your favourite juice mix?

Is Donburi - Northbridge

You know you’ve been to one place too many times recently when the waitress finishes your sentence in your order. Is Donburi is my love affair at the moment.

This newly established Japanese takeaway on William street first caught my attention when it was recommended to me by a friend. I have since taken my boyfriend and every friend I can convince as I seem to have endless good experiences at this place.

I can always rely on fresh seafood, meat cooked to perfection where the chicken is still tender and moist, and value for money.

Over many visits, I have tried the below items on the menu:

·         Value meals: with rice, miso and salad

·         Teriyaki Chicken ($13.50)

·         Teriyaki salmon ($16.50)

·         Chicken katsu curry ($13.50)

·         Gyoza (Japanese Dumping) w/ mayo and teriyaki reduction ($7.00)

·         Sashimi and seafood salad ($11.50)

Fresh salmon, kingfish, tuna, prawn, squid, seaweed and choice of apple or chilli apple dressing.

Sashimi and seafood salad with dressing on the side

Sushi rolls:

·         Dancing Crab roll ($15.50)

Soft shell crab, avocado, cucumber, pineapple, fish roe, crunchy sweet potato with balsamic reduction

·         Rainbow roll ($14.50) – cooked tuna, avocado, cucumber, salmon, tuna and prawn.

·         Seafood Chirasi Don ($15.50)

Fresh salmon, kingfish, tuna, prawn, squid and salad on vinegar rice.

·         Spicy Curry Udon ($11.50)

Prawn, seaweed, fishcake, spring onion, inari and curry udon soup.

·         Business Bento Box:

Fish katsu curry ($17.50)

Gyoza

Prawn parcel

Calamari ring

Choice of one dish from value meal

Fish Katsu Curry Business Bento Box with the Sashimi Salad

Teriyaki Salmon Business Bento Box

·         Miso soup ($1.50)

·         Korean style chawanmushi ($5.00) - Korean style steamed egg custard

And by now, you can understand how I am funding all the waiters university degrees through my obsession  love for this place.

I can absolutely recommend the Sashimi and seafood salad, in which I urge you to order the dressing on the side. I had the chilli apple dressing, and although this very sweet and slightly spicy sauce was generously drizzled over my salad, I found the drizzle to be too generous and I left feeling a little ill with how sweet the whole salad was.

I now promptly order my dressing on the side and add the quantity I feel is appropriate which leaves this menu item as my ultimate favourite. I am always given a very large portion of sashimi, all fresh and presented like a spiral of colourful seafood art in a bowl with an accompaniment of salad.

The Korean style chawanmushi was a curious exploration of mine in which I discovered was much like a scrambled egg with very little seasoning and/or flavour. It was served warm and sprinkled with spring onion. I added a lot of chilli to this and ate it out of an attempt to fill my growling stomach. As there was nothing wrong with this dish, I would not order it again.

                                                                       

The Business Bento Box would have to be one of the best value-for-money items on the menu.

Not only is the portion size huge, but you are able to sample entrées and eat your main meal over salad, rice and with miso.

Upon first reading this menu item, we had to check that you actually do get all the featured items and it was not a mistake for most under $20! Bargain!

The gyozas were a great start to the meal with six crispy dumplings lined neatly on the plate. These were drizzled with a Japanese mayo and topped with spring onions. The crunch unleashed a delicate filling of cooked vegetables with a subtle spice. These were without doubt, demolished in a matter of seconds.

The Dancing Crab roll took me by surprise.

The description of the soft shell crab gave me textures of a crunchy base and with the smooth avocado and sweet tang by the balsamic reduction, I had high expectations. I was very disappointed by this dish. For one, I could take no pronouncing flavour. There was something missing, and even after adding a splash of soy and some chilli, my friend and I agreed that this sushi was below average and had no real flavour or appeal at all.

The presentation of the roll was delightful with bright orange fried sweet potato topping the roll in a confetti of colour. If only the taste matched the beautiful presentation…

The Rainbow roll was another sushi disappointment, but this one was mainly a fault of my own. I overlooked the “cooked” element of the tuna and realised that this role had tinned tuna instead of the fresh slimy tuna I had hoped for. The salmon and prawn component of the sushi was also a little misleading as there was not a piece of salmon, tuna and prawn in each slice, but this seafood covered the entirety of the roll which meant some slices of sushi you had one seafood ingredient but not all.

Cooked tuna in the Rainbow Roll

The chicken in the Chicken katsu curry was cooked so it still oozed chicken tenderness upon the first bite. Pieces of chicken were delicately laid out and covered in one of the tastiest curry sauces I have had in a long time. The katsu curry sauce was not too sweet or salty and had a nice balance of flavour in which allowed the flavours of the chicken to sing.

Chicken katsu curry with dressed Sashimi salad

The salmon in the Teriyaki Salmon dish was in my opinion on the well-done cooked side. I prefer my salmon medium-rare and even on the rarer side. Nonetheless it was covered in a sweet teriyaki sauce that ticked all the boxes.

The chicken in the Teriyaki Chicken was also cooked to perfection but I did not like the thick deep fried skin on the chicken which to me took away the delicateness of the sweet chicken meat that lay underneath. I would have loved to have only the delicate meat covered in that sweet sticky teriyaki sauce and skipped the deep-fried batter which made me a little disappointed. If you love your chicken with a thick fried skin layer – then mark this as your dish!

To summarise, there is a reason I keep coming back again and again. Value for money which to me is in every dish on the menu except in my opinion - the sushi rolls.

The staff are friendly and accommodating and I swear once or twice I have received a complimentary miso soup with my meal which I love!

This place is tiny inside and seats no more than 20. But every time I have been, there is a consistent flow of customers who all seem very happy with their meals.