We have not had enough of Italy. Obviously the one week whirlwind of hiking and eating last week was not enough. So for this weekend’s brunch we decided to try this, being the sister restaurant of Bistecca (another Italian joint that we like). I also read online that their wine list had good choices for Amarone. The Vitamin A that I need to get over this nagging cold (disclaimer: this is NOT a medical advice).
With all the bread comes this baked garlic that is so flavorful and buttery. There is another option of sweet butter with cranberries which i totally ignored because this garlic is heavenly.Amarone!!! I am still not over this. Here’ our second bottle – super Tuscany. We took the rest of this home. We don’t finish two bottles in one sitting. We are not those kind of people. Not anymore….hahahaha!!!Lobster bisque
The service here is so awesome, by the way. There servers go out of their way to get you what you want and are super attentive.
I had veal osso bucco with polenta. I like how they have that cute little spoon for the marrow.Dave had the filet steak (shocker!) with a really wonderful smelling truffled mashed potatoes
Smelling the truffled mashed potatoes reminded me that I have yet to write about my truffle adventure in Italy. I will do that piece as soon as I am done putting up my Christmas stuff.
For dessert, I had Spumoni gelato. Cherry, Pistachio and Vanilla combo. Two scoops instead of one because Edgar, the server, said I deserved an extra scoop because I was sick.Tiramisu for Dave. That is the only Italian dessert he likes. He has been ordering that all week last week. No judgment…I truly enjoyed this restaurant. I will bring my Next Level dinner group here pretty soon!!!
My first disappointment with Nobu was at their Malibu location. There was not a single celebrity sighting. From a restaurant that gets so many mentions of celebrity dining, there was nobody, not even a male Kardashian. This was when I started to doubt People Magazine’s journalistic integrity. So i didn’t post a review. And also because I didn’t take enough pictures coz I was so busy looking up the door every time someone walks in. For whatever it’s worth, I don’t remember the food being bad.
When they opened here in Houston, I was willing to give it another try, this time with no celebrity expectation. At the end of the meal…there is still something. I decided to wait overnight before forming an opinion, then it dawned on me. I viewed Nobu like I would any other Asian restaurant — I would walk out really full and feel that they made a mistake in my bill.
Nobu’s portions are really tiny. Everything is bigger in Texas. Didn’t they know?
Two lobster tacos and two uni tacos. It’s really good but this picture is deceiving. These tacos are about three inches long and an inch wide. For $10….EACH.
The drink are on point, though.
Peruvian CaipirinhaHere’s my Seared Chilean Sea Bass with Truffle Mirin & Soy. It is really good. The fish is perfectly seared and crispy in the outside and flaky in the inside.D had King Crab Tempura Amazu Ponzu. Again, this was cooked perfectly. Each bit was crispy and not greasy at all.
Dessert was my favorite. This came in an elaborate wooden box. No hold barred, presentation-wise.
“Xurro” – their take on churro. It’s wafer rolls filled with dulce de leche cream in a bed of crushed chocolates. Really fancy and over the top.
Note that at the top of the picture there is a wine glass. That is how they served my Graham LBV Port. That’s a Fail. Port is customarily served at 3 ounces, hence, a smaller glass. Serving it in a regular wine glass makes one (me!) feel cheated.
So….here’s my verdict. Did I enjoy every dish and savor every morsel? YES. Did I feel like I should go to the restaurant next door and grab something because I’m still hungry? ALSO YES. (restaurant next door is Fig and Olive—really good restaurant. Coming up on my next review).
Let me deconstruct this feeling. As Asian, I am programmed for certain expectations on everything Asian. I remember David Chang talking at length about this topic. I never had any issue with cost of food at fancy restaurants but I whined on the cost of this meal. I just cannot wrap my Asian head around paying that much for that cuisine. My childhood memories of my family eating in Asian restaurants culminated on doggie bags that we had to eat the following day. So I am aghast that I wolfed down the $40 appetizer in less than 2 minutes.
I feel horrible for writing this because I should know better. My non-Asian husband had no issue with the whole experience whatsoever except for the port glass (he’s a wine-snob). The quality of the dishes is superb, the service is exceptional. Under normal circumstances, this would come out as a ‘highly recommended’ in my book. But because I was ruined by my expectations (that is by no means any fault of Nobu), I had to take a break and mull things through so I could say kind words.
So if you are non- Asian or an uncorrupted Asian with money to burn, give this restaurant a try. I’m sure you will not be disappointed.
