Asia’s first Nobu Hotel launches with celebrity chef owner’s fusion dishes

When culinary master Nobu Matsuhisa established Nobu Hospitality with the support of Hollywood icon Robert De Niro and movie producer Meir Teper, he envisioned “wrapping the concept of a luxurious boutique hotel around energized public spaces… to create powerful stages for shared experiences of excitement and escapism.”

The discriminating set embraced this concept and since the first Nobu Hotel was opened in 2013 as a boutique hotel within Caesars Palace in Las Vegas (and subsequently named one of the Hottest New Hotels of 2013 by CNN Travel), several more followed in Riyadh, Chicago, London, Miami, and soon in Bahrain.

Closer to home, Manila welcomed the Nobu Hospitality brand this year as Melco Crown (Philippines) Resorts Corporation launched the first Nobu Hotel in Asia at City of Dreams Manila.

Of course, the hotel will feature a restaurant that serves the remarkable cuisine of Chef Nobu, highlighting his signature fusion dishes that include black cod with miso and lobster with wasabi pepper sauce.

As a prelude to what Nobu Hotel and Nobu Restaurant have in store for Manila, members of the media were invited to an exclusive tasting of these gastronomic delights last Thursday.

As the hors d’oeuvres—tuna taquitos and mini lobster rolls—were being passed around, general manager Marlon Hirsh welcomed the guests. Hirsh is no stranger to Asia, having had postings at Four Seasons Jakarta, Shangri-La Hotel Manila and Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok. He has been overseeing Nobu's pre-opening since October 2013.

Restaurant manager Casper Khamphouy, born and bred in the lone star state of Texas, has been with Nobu Hospitality since 2005, moving up the ladder at Nobu restaurants in San Diego, Dubai, Los Angeles, Perth and Hawaii just before moving to Manila.

Bubbly and enthusiastic, Khamphuoy promised the media a gastronomic treat prepared by Nobu Restaurant Group corporate executive chef Thomas Buckley, executive chef for Nobu City of Dreams Zachary Hillberry and Nobu City of Dreams head sushi chef Akihisa Kawai.

After a short impromptu lesson on making California maki, the dinner began with a light and delicate Yellowtail Jalapeño, followed by White Fish Dry Miso with garlic chips and crumbled dehydrated miso as topping for the fish.

A sashimi salad of seared tuna, Matsuhisa dressing, greens, daikon, soy, onions and sesame oil further whetted the appetite.

The Pork Spicy Miso, slow-cooked for 14 hours and complemented with micro cilantro, jalapeño salsa, and spicy miso sauce, had a crunchy outer layer but quite tender meat on the inside, truly deserving to be called one of Nobu’s signature dishes.

How can one go wrong with crab? The King Crab Amazu Ponzu lay crispy battered king crab on a light soy and citrus bed, then topped it with cilantro and chilies.

Presented with a pickled ginger spear, the Alaskan Black Cod Den Miso was marinated in caramelized miso to evoke a sweet and salty flavor that one cannot get enough of.

Huge trays of assorted sushi followed: salmon, tuna, and hamachi sushi; California maki and shrimp tempura maki; and the house futomaki encased in daikon slices.

After all the oohs and ahhs heard around the table, the last sigh of appreciation was probably reserved for the Kanji, a dessert concocted exclusively for Nobu Manila. Defined as “transluscent,” the Kanji is composed of layers of fresh strawberries and raspberries, a green tea sponge, and punctuated by a yamamomo, a Japanese mountain peach.

Throughout the whole evening, drinks flowed, with servers ever attentive to refill an almost empty glass. Wine poured, as did sake, served deliciously cold. And so did cocktails like Matsuhisa Martini, Calamansi Shiso, Lychee Martini, and Nashi Elderflower Cocktail, drawing from flavor themes of calamansi and elderflower liquor. — BM, GMA News

Nobu Hotel City of Dreams is in Entertainment City, Roxas Boulevard, Manila.