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To many of the world's sushi lovers the name Nobu immediately conjures up the image of the exciting celebrity chef whose famous New York restaurants have been consistently ranked among the world's finest places to eat. But a new generation of food lovers, specifically those who seek out stirring contemporary reinventions of traditional Japanese delicacies, might be tricked into thinking the name is merely a franchise heading, albeit of the most sophisticated variety. The reason for this is that since opening his first eponymous eatery in New York, Master Chef Nobu Matsuhisa has, along with partner Robert De Niro, gone on the expand his culinary empire across the globe.
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| The latest luxurious Nobu Matsuhisa endeavor is unsurprisingly to be found in Dubai, that unique city of opulence and impressive developments which is fast becoming a rival to London, Paris and New York as the premier culinary destination for gourmets. Nobu is to be found within the amazing Atlantis resort. A resort on Palm Jumeirah, a man-made island built to resemble the exotic tree of after which it is named. |
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Nobu
Atlantis The Palm
The Palm Jumeirah
Dubai Marina
Dubai
Tel : 04 426 0760
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The celebrated designers and architects, the Rockwell Group, responsible for most of the other Nobu eateries, brought their particular vision to Nobu Atlantis on The Palm. Those who've enjoyed the food at other Nobu eateries will be familiar with the Rockwell Group's typically beautiful and layered interiors. Although each restaurant differs, the Rockwell design typically captures the nuances and details of Chef Nobu Matsuhisa's culinary vision, while simultaneously incorporating the rich traditions and countryside of Japan, which is not to suggest that Nobu Atlantis is anything other than a luxurious contemporary restaurant with its own special identity.
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| The design is such that is manages to reflect Nobu's specific contemporary culinary innovation, capture the essential spirit from whence it comes, while also reflecting Middle Eastern elements and still being endowed with organic qualities of the ocean which are such a part of the immediate context. An astounding challenge which David Rockwell and his team have more than equalled. |
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| The interplay between texture, context and nature is perhaps most discernible in the big lofty wave-forms crafted from Manilla hemp that lend the interior its vast almost cavernous feeling. And there is more than a touch of deep-sea fantasy, however chic, about a meal at Nobu. The areas and vaulted cave-like main dining room are cast in rich oranges and shades of gold and brown. A few glasses of the blood-temperature house sake and the environment can begin to seem a bit otherworldly, at least enough to transport you from thoughts of the external world, away from the city and The Palm, and land you in a living, breathing time and space of beguiling sights, heaven-sent flavours and wonderful smells. |
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At Nobu Atlantis, there seems to be a perfect culmination of space, design and food. Perhaps this is what Chef Matsuhisa's other eateries would be if they had been conceived under similar circumstances. Then again, it is their individual identity which is a clue to the rich, varied talent which created the phenomenon to begin with. Make no mistake Nobu Atlantis is the big theatre for the great performance of a chef who embraces the dramatic.
The beautiful design is generous in its use of natural materials, organic swirls and inspired sense of space, yielding an almost transcendent sense of a golden sea world that springs from an atavistic dream.
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| This dream-like milieu is not only part of the allure of any visit, it is also an introduction to the food. |
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| As ever, Chef Nobu Matsuhisa has crafted a menu filled with his highly desirable signature dishes, but also one which takes cues from both the region and the world, in effect realizing Japanese cuisine of the most contemporary kind. The formula of taking the skills and essential qualities of great, masterly traditions and bringing them to the palates of an adoring modern public has secured Nobu Matsuhisa a place at the top of the list of all the world's chefs. His first Middle Eastern eatery, excelling at every turn, only serves to reinforce his reputation as a master. |
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| Those who know his famous Broiled Black Cod with Miso will find it as nuanced and magnificent as ever, while others who come to see what new marvel he has conjured from his own imagination, or the perhaps the mystical culinary ether, will find a surfeit of delicacies in which to revel with sheer delight. |
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| The omakase menu is a must for those who want to get a clear picture of the manifold delights which this master chef has made a reality. Since the omakase menu requires the compliance of the diner, a willingness to let the chef decide on what your culinary adventure will be, it is the perfect way to engage the spirit of mystery, art and unexpected beauty that permeates the restaurant. |
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| Since opening Nobu Atlantis has been almost solidly booked for at least two months in advance. Eager diners are well advised to make reservations long before they book a plane ticket to this remarkable city. But for those who bide their time and make do with an interim meal at one of the other Nobu restaurants, the reward is a sensory feast without equal. If you're fortunate enough to find Chef Matsuhisa himself slicing and dicing those delicate slivers of fish for your favourite piece of sashimi, then you'll have the added pleasure of his natural theatricality to add to the evening's pleasures. |
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