Have you ever taken a bite of food that immediately awakens all your senses, makes you wonder why you’ve ever eaten any other dish and has caused you to unknowingly let out an exclamation in praise of the fare? Yeah, that’s the kind of experience you’ll have at Nobu Restaurant in Caesars Palace Las Vegas, except probably even better.
While dining there last month, it was joked that the cuisine at Chef Nobu’s world-renowned restaurant was even better than sex (and no, that’s not an exaggeration). If you’re not familiar with the brand (which would be pretty surprising, if not a little embarrassing), Nobu has become one of the most recognized names in Japanese fusion cuisine with 26 restaurants in 13 countries. As a Japanese native and world traveler, Chef Nobu garnered his unique style and approach to Japanese cooking through his adventures in California, Peru, Alaska and Argentina. In 1987 his first restaurant was opened in Beverly Hills, CA before his second opened in New York City in 1994 at the request of Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro. Today, he is considered the originator of modern Japanese fusion cuisine. The Tribeca location earned three stars from the New York Times and was awarded a Michelin star.
The Las Vegas hotspot is the largest space among his venues and the only U.S. destination offering teppanyaki tables in its 11,200 square foot venue. Inside, the atmosphere feels exclusive, like the kind of place you go to be seen. Designed by David Rockwell and the Rockwell Group, booths, round wooden tables, low hanging lights and natural materials all interweave together to create an almost constant flow of motion.
Starting off with a Hakka Nigori cocktail (Hokusetsu Nigori Sake, Harmless Harvest coconut water, simple syrup, fresh lemon juice and mint) and having looked over the menu, we opted to let our server choose our dishes for the evening. First up was one of their signature dishes, the Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeno, which came resting on a plate of the most satisfyingly delicious collaboration of Yuzu soy, cilantro and garlic juices. Following the yellowtail, the Japanese Snapper with Dry Miso was just as impressive and the added crunch of the dry miso was especially appetizing. Since these were only the first of many items to come, we couldn’t help but be excited about the night’s culinary journey.
For cold dishes, the menu includes tiraditos, ceviche, salads, sashimi and Nobu-style tacos. We were brought the latter filled with king crab inside mini wonton shells, a nice interpretation of a Mexican favorite as well as Black Cod with Miso on butter lettuce. What’s great about Nobu is that the small portions allow for more dishes to be experienced while still feeling completely satisfied should you only choose a few options to share. Even though we were four appetizers in, we had no plans of stopping.
If you’re anything like us—huge fans of red meat—make sure to order the Beef Tenderloin Special set in Yuzu truffle butter and finished with crispy onion straws (we still think about this dish). The mouth-wateringly flavorsome beef cuts like butter and the sauce will have you wishing for bread to soak up every last drop.
Making our way back to seafood, the next entrée was Rock Shrimp Tempura with creamy spicy sauce. Crispy on the outside, moist on the inside and drizzled with a cream sauce, this dish could easily be a great option for a happy hour menu. Take a break from cocktails for this dish and pair it with a cold Sapporo for a real treat.
Ending with a small roll and sashimi, there was almost no hope left for one more course. But then again, there’s always room for dessert. Made with green tea pastry cream, the Kronuts come with chocolate crumble and white chocolate ice cream. A sweet finish to an absolutely sensational meal. Having heard of the many praises for Chef Nobu, it wasn’t until actually trying his recipes that I was able to understand how much of a visionary he is and why his cuisine translates globally. Next time you’re in Vegas, there’s no reason why you should miss experiencing an evening at Nobu. Just consider it a little foreplay before a night out.
