OHLALA’s Homara Choudhary discovered the reason behind Nobu Doha’s cult following.
Perched elegantly above the Arabian Gulf, the world’s largest Nobu at the Four Seasons Hotel Doha stands out for all the right reasons. The globally-renowned Japanese restaurant, owned by Chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, was built by his favourite architect, the internationally acclaimed David Rockwell. You can see why the celebrity chef selected him for his most prestigious project.
As well as being the biggest it’s the first freestanding Nobu restaurant and towers at 2,230sq/m on the northern end of the city’s corniche. Doha’s impressive skyline is laid out in all its splendour and the building’s unique design celebrates the city’s famous pearl-diving past. The iconic, threestorey structure has seven stylish entertaining spaces, including a rooftop terrace. It’s not hard to see why one of Qatar’s finest dining establishments has a rapidly expanding cult following.
The Nobu dining experience begins as soon as you walk through the fountain-framed entrance with the monumental timber staircase curving invitingly to the upper floors. Adorning the dining space is an enormous, suspended installation, formed from hundreds of pieces of iridescent porcelain, designed specifically for Nobu by the Canadian artist Pascale Girardin to resemble fish scales. The field of spherical glass light fixtures that hang from the ceiling is breathtaking. Matching the muted warm, honeyed, amber tones of the rich interior with the music perfectly pitched. This is an ideal setting for a romantic dinner.
You could be forgiven for believing you’ve walked onto a 007 James Bond film set. We were announced by our hostess, like Hollywood film stars, “irasshai mase!” the hostess called out, the rest of the staff replying. This means “welcome” in Japanese. The tables were carefully spaced out as the restaurant was operating at 75% capacity as per government guidelines. Clarissa looked after us, talking us through the extensive menu which boasted more than 200 dishes, highlighting some of Nobu’s signature Japanese-Peruvian fusion favourites for us to enjoy.
The first entree to arrive was the Tiradito. It’s a ceviche-style fish dish similar to sashimi. Thinly sliced, the flavours were citrusy without being too tangy. It was light and the coriander enhanced the flavour without being too overpowering. The oysters followed and were delicious, delicately laced with three different sauces: garlic, Maui onion and Ponzi. The standout appetiser surprised us both – the Avocado Tartare was an intricate blend of crushed avocado and wasabi, topped with crispy quinoa, setting off a complex burst of flavours and textures simultaneously. The last of the cold classics was the lobster salad, fused with grapeseed oil and cayenne pepper, it was succulent, with tender baby spinach shoots, all dressed with a subtly tangy garlic puree and lemon dressing.
Half way through our meal, the Chef de Cuisine, Andrew Bozoki, personally came to see if we were enjoying our gourmet experience. It only took one look at our faces to tell him we were in food heaven. Bozoki has been with Nobu for 12 years and takes pride in his team of 24 chefs who share a ‘big melting pot of nationalities’. When asked what we should try next he recommended the world-famous Black Cod Miso. He was right, it’s Nobu’s pièce de résistance for a reason. Imported from Alaska it’s marinated for two days in den miso sauce and cooked in a Salamander after being glazed with Yuzo miso. It was so tender it melted in my mouth almost instantly.
The other standout dish was the Rock Shrimp Tempura. It came on a bed of salad leaves and was drizzled with a creamy spicy sauce. Warm and insanely delicious, our taste buds were sent into orbit. And that’s exactly what General Manager Gaurav Khanna wants all his guests to experience. He described the dishes as an ‘umami’ which means the ‘essence of deliciousness’ in Japanese, also known as the fifth taste bud. Gaurav, who has been with Nobu for 13 years, said experiencing Nobu was like going on a ‘journey of flavours’ and he was absolutely right. The menu was a roller coaster for the palate.
Dessert was a delightful trio of the Chocolate Bento Box, Mochi Ice Cream and the classic Nobu Cheesecake with raspberry sorbet. They were all surprisingly light. The Mochi Japanese ice cream was wrapped in soft rice pastry dough and came in three flavours. The Chocolate Bento Box was my favourite; the hot lava cake with the vanilla ice cream was the perfect combination and the right size in a unique box. It’s no surprise that Nobu has 45 locations around the world with Doha setting the pace. The waterfront venue, the exquisite food with its globally renowned signature dishes and the seven-star dining experience were mesmerising. An ideal choice for the perfect private dinner or that special evening out.
For more information or to make a reservation, please call Nobu at Four Seasons Hotel Doha on 4494 8500.