02/25/09

Amazing Birthday Dinner

by dmenkes

I can totally understand why people go there and have an average experience. Their regular sushi looked totally run-of-the-mill. We sat at the bar (which looked like it seats about 15 people total, though we were on the end with another couple), and I asked for omakase. The chef said that there are three standard levels of omakase; 99, 150, and 200. He could tell I wasn't digging the whole pre-fab idea so he said "I'll make you something special." My girlfriend explained what she liked (she'll only eat tuna and veggie dishes) and I just said I didn't want Uni. The couple sitting next to us were ordering totally average stuff that you could get anywhere, and it looked totally average. At one point my girlfriend got a roasted eggplant dish that was really good, and she said her spicy tuna roll was the best she's had anywhere.

We sat down at 6:30 and by 9 we were having dessert (a chocolate suffle with green tea ice cream on the side--really good), though we needed to take off to head over to meet some friends so we felt a bit rushed because of that at the end. A couple of highlights: freshwater eel and fois gras stacked in a bowl with a kind of semi-sweet teriyaki sauce that was insane, not too overpowering. Another item of note was kobe beef tataki with ponzu sauce that was really good. Total bill with drinks and tip: $310. Fantastic evening. Do I have a burning desire to fly back tonight and eat there again? Nah. I'd go to that place at the Santa Monica airport before I'd make a special trip to Nobu again. But still, sitting at the bar was great, especially on the end like we did as we could see everyone in there.

• Pros: atmosphere, service, star sightings
• Cons: hard to find, parking lot fills up on weekends, bit pricey for the quality

10/30/08

WORTH THE TRIP, WORTH THE MONEY

by milla97

If you're a sushi novice, pick somewhere else to dine like Katsu-ya or some other Hollywood smash and grab fish place. But if you're into wild delicious flavors, high-quality product, and attentive service try Nobu Malibu. Yaman, our server, was so funny and truly made our experience unique and fun. Even people who weren't our waiters were helping us out explaining all of the dishes and getting us our food. They make every table feel like a celebrity - especially since we were sitting next to Cindy Crawford! Try the newstyle, yellowtail with jalepeno, and the ribye. And don't forget to ask for Yaman - He's the best! Great for business dinners - not so with romantic dates.

• Pros: Service, Food
• Cons: Limited and poor wine list, poor ambience.

10/11/08

My favorite

by missj07

It's frustrating to read the reviews on here with people comparing Nobu to other sushi restaurants, because the experience is not meant to be like other sushi restaurants. If you are looking for a standard sushi dinner, don't go here because you will miss out on the whole point and feel like the restaurant did not live up to your expectations. If you want to enjoy a meal at Nobu, I recommend the following: 1. sit at the sushi bar. You don't need a reservation and it's much more interactive, you get the best food and the sushi chefs are the nicest around. (unless you have more than three people, then a table is more appropriate). 2. ask your waiter and sushi chef for recommendations. There are many daily specials that are not on the menu, some of which are the best dishes they make (ie: king crab tempura, seared scallops with truffle). The waiters know what is good, and they will steer you through a meal you will love. 3. If you do make a reservation, call ahead and if they are full put yourself on the waiting list, more often than not they will call you back. 4. Be prepared to spend money. Resign yourself to it and just accept that it will run you $100-$150 a person for a great dinner. 3. Don't go for the first time on Valentine's Day. (that rule applies to ANY restaurant!) I have never had a bad meal at Nobu Malibu, the kitchen is always consistent and some of the best staff work at this location. Treat them with respect and they will do the same. Go for a good time (not to gawk at celebrities) and to enjoy some innovative cuisine that has since been copied all over Los Angeles. Go for the original.

• Pros: the original innovative Japanese cuisine, always consistent, friendly
• Cons: sometimes really loud and tables are close together