Nobu, Atlantis, DXB

The Nobu experience is one that everyone should have at least once in his or her lifetime. Dubbed by Vogue as ‘the world’s hippest restaurant chain,’ it features on just about every US reality TV show (shout out to all you Real Housewives and KUWTK devotees) but has restaurants all over the world in the snazziest of places. Before holdthelettuce.net was even a speck on my windshield of life, I had the pleasure of visiting Nobu LA and the experience was really something worth writing home about. However, Ole Sib and I were on the budget where we liked to go to fancy places but couldn’t really afford to dine like the queens we masqueraded as, so sadly we didn’t exactly go all out. Nobu Dubai was a different story…

Atlantis, located on the magnificent manmade island, The Palm, is perhaps the most impressive hotel in the world. Its palatial arch dominates the island and is recognisable worldwide. Home to a mesmerising aquarium and an enormous (and remarkably clean) water park, Atlantis also boasts world-renowned restaurants, one of which is Nobu.

Entering the restaurant through the bar was similar to what I imagine walking a catwalk would be like simply because everyone in the vicinity was so good-looking and nonchalant. Some were smoking inside on lounge chairs (who knows what the rules are when you’re rich and fancy) and others were enjoying the DJ’s easy house vibes. We attempted to strut through and were led to a table in the centre of the restaurant with a view of the open kitchen where the chefs were preparing various types of sushi.

The best way to do Nobu, as with many other Asian cuisine restaurants, is to order an extensive selection of dishes from different parts of the menu and share with the rest of the party. While I usually heavily object to sharing food (I recognise food envy is possibly the worst emotion in the world but if you had the same options on that menu as I did and subsequently chose poorly then MORE FOOL YOU), this did work out well because in the end there is so much food that all the buttons are a-poppin’ and there is zilch you can do about it except embrace the blossoming food baby. We bravely ordered and prepared ourselves for the oncoming culinary challenge.

A range of sushi and sashimi accompanied by some mini wagyu beef tacos and tempura dishes was the first to make an appearance. As to be expected in this fashionable establishment, the food was presented beautifully and tasted so fresh I was mildly concerned that it may have swum to the table… While we ordered the mini tacos mainly for the novelty of enjoying such fine meat in an understated package, they turned out to be little shells of happiness. However, it must be said that the general consensus around the table was that the tuna sashimi took the champion title for the first round. The tempura prawns and vegetables were similarly enjoyable and satisfied the parentally enforced vegetable obligation in fine fried fashion, just the way I like it.

Despite the success of the first courses, nothing could prepare us for what came next. The main event. The prized fighter. The flambé wagyu beef. The waiter presented our precious wagyu to us on a hot stone slab and proceeded to set it alight in the centre of the table (disclaimer: fire is really hot) while we all ensured that we had photographic evidence for social media purposes because it is the 21^st century and if a hunk of wagyu beef is set alight and no one sees it, was it really set alight? We took the beef off the slab quickly to ensure it remained rare and tucked in to what was unanimously dubbed the best steak we had ever eaten.

As we wound down from our frenzy of excitement in a haze of steak-fuelled satisfaction, we observed our fellow diners. Nobu’s appeal clearly resonates with the chic and fashionable but this reputation should not lead this chain of restaurants to be misconstrued as pretentious hangouts for the rich and famous. After enjoying two highly successful culinary experiences, the Nobu name in my opinion is not only synonymous with trendy dining, but also with delectable food and outstanding service. In conclusion, I have now been ruined for all other kinds of beef forevermore and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

http://www.noburestaurants.com