One of the most recognizable names in modern Japanese cuisine, Nobu is widely considered a dining destination. The restaurant and hotel group now has over 20 locations in the U.S. and many more in Europe, Mexico, and Asia. Nobu first debuted in 1994 in New York as a partnership between Nobu Matsuhisha and actor Robert De Niro. Matsuhisha, although originally from Japan, also worked in Peru and Argentina—which is why Nobu is particularly known for fusing traditional Japanese dishes with Peruvian ingredients. We took a recent trip to Phoenix, AZ, to experience the pleasure of dining at the Nobu in Scottsdale.
Aesthetics and Vibe
All Nobu restaurants are designed with subtle lighting, modern Japanese décor, a lots of wicker, tans, and earth tones—this helps create a relatively intimate atmosphere. While reservations can be hard to come by and prices are pretty exorbitant, Nobu is not the kind of place where formal attire is required. We dined pretty early on a Thursday evening, so most people were in jeans and had a more casual look; however, it wouldn’t be unusual for the Friday and Saturday night crowd to ramp-up the glam. I’ve the good fortune to eat at a few other Nobu locations, and this one in Scottsdale seemed decidedly less snooty in my opinion.
Food
The food, of course, is where Nobu really shines. The menu is organized into hot and cold “classic” dishes that have been with Nobu from the beginning and “now” dishes that are born out of local ingredients or embody the current destination. We opted mostly for classic dishes because we’re sentimental and they are just too good to resist!
We started with the yellowtail sashimi jalapeño, which a Nobu staple. The luscious yellowtail melts in your mouth, while the citrus and jalapeño provide a burst of flavor. It’s important to add some cilantro to each bite for a much-needed herbaceous note.
Moving to hot dishes, we adored both the creamy spicy snow crab and the black cod with miso—both of which are staples at Nobu. The dishes were complex and rich with umami flavor, the cod being sweet but not overly so.
Next, we had the lobster shitake salad with a spicy lemon dressing. This was one of the standout dishes of the night. Although the market price was about $90 for the dish, you get a generous amount of lobster and the flavor is just out of this world. The fresh, soft lobster combined with the zing of the dressing and crunch of the salad is really something special.
Although the market price was about $90 for the dish, you get a generous amount of lobster and the flavor is just out of this world.
We finished the night with a wide selection of nigiri and sashimi. The quality of fish at Nobu is really unparalleled compared with most other sushi restaurants is the primarily why the restaurant commands such a high price. We both enjoyed everything we ordered including yellowtail, tuna, salmon, toro, and snapper; however, the salmon and bluefin toro were by far our favorites. The toro is literally so delicate that it melts in your mouth and is so flavorful that you don’t need any other accompaniments.
The toro is literally so delicate that it melts in your mouth and is so flavorful that you don’t need any other accompaniments.
Drinks
Unfortunately, the drinks were more of a mixed bag. Most of the cocktails we tried were overly sweet for Conor’s liking. For example, trying to drink the Monkey Business (SelvaRey white rum, coconut water, monk fruit black orchid syrup, Banane Du Bresil, and plum bitters) was literally like drinking pure simple syrup. Conor also couldn’t drink Nobu’s version of a Southside due to the addition of the sweet pea flower-infused gin. However, if you like sweet drinks then you’ll be in heaven! Brian was able to finish all of our cocktails without issue! Luckily, the sake was a different story. We ended up getting two bottles Daiginjo Black Label, which we found to be incredibly balanced and drinkable.
Monkey Business – SelvaRey white rum, coconut water, monk fruit black orchid syrup, Banane Du Bresil, and plum bitters. This is VERY sweet.
7/10
7/10
Daiginjo Black Label – Well balanced and dangerously drinkable.
9/10
9/10
Southside – with sweet pea flower-infused gin. VERY sweet.
6/10
7/10
Service
The service at Nobu Scottsdale was impeccable. Our server was attentive, but not intrusive, and was able to answer all of our questions. We ended up lingering over our meal for about 3 hours and didn’t feel rushed or stifled by the waitstaff in anyway.
Overall impressions
Overall, we would highly recommend a visit to Nobu Scottsdale. The food certainly lives up to Nobu standards and it is by far some of the best Japanese cuisine and sushi you’ll have anywhere.