Forever it seems Nobu has been the torchbearer for Japanese fine dining globally. Gastronomes flock to Nobu, so time to review its premier location in London. Was it any good? Time to find out...
Ideal for:
After pay day as you need some serious cash
Authentic Japanese food
Date night
Ambience & Décor
Inside the beautiful COMO hotel in Park Lane, lies the first Nobu in London. The décor is quite plain and understated. The polished floors, well-dressed staff, and minimalist look screamed the fine dining blueprint in London. The party piece was the glass back wall, so the restaurant was bathed in natural light; a delightful setting for lunch.
Service
The service was as you expect from a fine dining restaurant. Effortless, efficient and effective. However, the service lacked warmth and personal touch, which was a great shame.
Food
The Yellowtail Jalapeno sashimi was a Nobu classic, that I found to be tasty without amazing. The fish was cured well, but the jalapeno seemed superfluous. Not the biggest sashimi fan, and this did not convert me. The Crispy Rice with Spicy Toro (right) was a delight but at £25, really steep. Toro is the fatty part of Tuna and this was heavily spiced and encased in the rice which was lightly fried and crispy. The soy dipping sauce added saltiness and sweetness to the dish to cut the spice and add depth. This dish was so unbelievably moreish.
The Lobster Taco was aesthetically pleasing and tasted so fresh. Good helping of meat in such a dainty, small taco. The sauce accompaniment added further texture and lovely heat. This was on par with Dinings, which was my benchmark.
The King Crab Tempura with Amazu Ponzu (left) was the first real disappointment. Nobu skimped on the crab, copious amounts of empty tasteless batter, and soggy tempura pieces because service had allowed the sauce at the bottom to compromise the structural integrity. The garnishes added nothing but the fresh crabmeat was tasty and the sauce was a great accompaniment. Real shame.
The hits kept coming with the Tea Smoked Lamb Anticucho (right). Nobu experimenting with fusion as Anticucho is an Andes spice marinade usually with cumin, garlic and chilli peppers. The preparation was delicious, as the South American flair fused well with the subtleties of the Japanese tea infused in the meat. The bed of puréed vegetables and seeds were a fantastic complement as it gave a softer more sobering taste texture to the harder and more fiery meat. Compliments to the chef on this.
The Miso Black Cod is always a fan favourite and was delicious here, although I would have liked more. Whilst it looked beautiful, the accompaniments for me added nothing to the dish.
The final triumph was the Grilled Poussin with Truffle Teriyaki Sauce (left). Potent, earthy, hard-hitting Truffle with sweeter, more vibrant, subtler teriyaki was a genius infusion and elevated the perfectly tender poussin no end. The dish also looked incredibly appetising, and this was a main to come back for.
Finished the meal with the much loved Chocolate Bento Box (right). I do not do chocolate based desserts, but a fellow critic told me this would convert me. It did not. Presentation was too pretentious, the chocolate didn’t have much sweetness, and it was too rich and dense for me. The ice cream accompaniment was more my thing. However, if you love Chocolate desserts that are not too sweet, then this is a winner for you.
Nobu London Old Park Lane was a pleasant lunch overall. Some of the dishes were truly, unequivocally amazing (Crispy rice, Lamb and Poussin), but the remainder were largely average. For ex-Michelin fine dining, the standard should have been higher, especially given the astronomical prices they charge.
Factoring in the décor and service, Nobu London Old Park Lane gets a B+ rating.
Photos of Nobu London Old Park Lane and more can be found on Instagram here.
Final grade: B+
Final comment: Nobu delivered both the amazing and the average. Could do better.
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