LOCATION
Crown Entertainment Complex at Southbank
DETAILS
Nobu started as a business partnership in 1994 between chef Nobu Matsuhisa and his partners actor Robert De Niro, producer Meir
Teper, and managing partner Richie Notar. With the original restaurant in New York, the Nobu brand is now an empire that spans across the globe, from London to Tokyo, Las Vegas to Malibu, Milan to Miami Beach, Dallas to Paradise Island, The Bahamas, Hong Kong to Waikiki. The newest location in Melbourne, Australia will be followed by upcoming openings in Los Angeles and San Diego. Nobu restaurants, all a visual and culinary delight,continue to win unprecedented praise and rave reviews from such publications as the New York Times, the Zagat Surveys, and the Michelin Guide. The restaurants' perennial popularity and devoted following are a tribute to Nobu putting his own spin on traditional Japanese cooking. It features a contrast of modern and handcrafted materials that reflect Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s origins in rural Japan.
An essential chacteristic of the Nobu aesthetic is the collage of natural materials and textures – onyx, river rocks, scorched ash, glass, sea urchin spines, slate, hand woven fishing baskets, and cherry blossoms. The inter-mingling of these styles is a hallmark of Nobu restaurants.
In Melbourne, Australia, these themes have been drawn upon and re-interpreted to create a unique two-storey dining experience. Integral to the Nobu identity is the expression of a sense of intrigue and visual connections as one moves
from space to space, creating a scenic inspired and choreographed environment.
UPPER LEVEL - On the upper level, these visual
connections are present in the iconic Nobu wooden portal into the restaurant, and the glass railing of the lounge overlooking the main dining hall below.
BAR/LOUNGE -The bar/lounge is filled with signature Nobu features such as day beds, low scorched ash tables, and an onyx bar with live wood top and a backlit backdrop of different colored sake bottles. On the exterior wall of the lounge are oversized glowing onyx and wood walls that frame the view of the river, made specifically for the Melbourne location. There are a slatted log timber tower supporting stairs down to the main dining area, and a bridge leading to the bar/lounge,providing physical connections between the spaces. From the ceiling of the void that cuts through the upper and lower levels of the restaurant are multiple custom-made lanterns made from old woven Japanese fishing baskets.
LOWER LEVEL - On the lower level is another sushi bar made of scorched ash and backlit onyx, surrounded by dark tile floors and walls, helping to frame the theater of sushi activity. The main dining area contains tables and banquettes, over which is a ceiling displaying a unique collaboration between Michael Palladino Photography and Maya Romanoff: glistening imagery of Japanese cherry blossoms overlaid with beadwork. Casting shadows on the Venetian plaster walls behind the banquettes are rows of aspen twig branches. Also on the lower level is the private dining room, which boasts a hand made sea urchin chandelier hanging above the one table, and a backdrop of images of falling rose petals on the walls.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
Nobu is one of the international success stories in the restaurant game, with chef Nobu Matsuhisa supported by high-flyer owners Robert de Niro and film producer Meir Teper. The Melbourne version, mostly easily accessed from the Promenade at Crown, has the signature touches of all the others – lots of design features, lots of stone and wood textures, dim lighting and a world-class menu – that have both stars and wannabes spreading the word. Downstairs there’s an excellent sushi bar, which effuses an air of glamour and mystery, while upstairs, where the windows allow a view of the river and promenade, there’s a bar and a less formal menu.
The ambience suggests an aura of affluence, however it’s possible to eat more modestly if you steer clear of Wagyu. The basis of the cooking is traditional Japanese with imaginative twists and international accents, such as the jalapeno chilli on kingfish sashimi, that provide a deliciously modern interpretation. Seafood is particularly fantastic, from the giant and beautifully fresh oysters with three sauces presented on a bed of ice, to the dense and flavourful, black cod miso marinated. The wood oven supplies a number of treats, from fillet of beef with a wasabi salsa to asparagus spears, neatly stacked and served with a spicy ponzu dressing. Drinks include some amazing martinis, excellent sake and a sublime international wine list.
Rita Erlich