A dream come true: Nobu Manila at City of Dreams

I remember being dressed to the nines. I had my highest heels on, hair all done and completely made up. My mother, my chef-original foodie Tita Lorrie Reynoso and I had reservations at the hippest place in New York: Nobu.

I was all dolled up, trying very hard to pass for over 21, or at the very least, not be carded, as it would have been such a tragedy not to enjoy some sake over sushi. Confident stride in my step, trying to look as chicly blasé as possible, we sat down at our table and some cold sake was ordered. A charming server swiftly brought over a stunning carafe made out of bamboo and — yup, not just two, but three teensy cups! Hooray! I was in! I was not some bumbling underage diner; I was part of the chic set — those that dined at Nobu.

It was thrilling. The most talked about restaurant in town that put together an exciting dining experience with a lounge-y bar atmosphere serving up great cocktails. If I’m not mistaken, that evening I had a lychee martini for the first time and nothing was more innovative than biting into a vodka- and sake-soaked juicy lychee.

I remember being blown away by the food, the intoxicating scents of heady ginger and intense hot sesame oil wafting over from the dishes. We oohed and aah-ed over each plate, dissecting every bit of it, trying to figure out what was in it. I was fascinated by the New Style Sashimi … why hadn’t it been done this way before? Paper-thin slices of fish slightly seared as the hot sesame oil caressed its surface… there was cilantro and miso, jalapeño and soy, a crazy bunch of mish-mashed ingredients from across the globe treated with a Japanese sensibility. Chef Nobu Matsuhisa was the culinary world’s golden boy, the “it” chef, one who would make real sense and purpose out of fusion cuisine.

Twenty years and 30 restaurants later, Nobu has not lost its luster. Now we no longer need a passport to sample his genius as City of Dreams Manila is opening Nobu Hotel, second only to their flagship in Las Vegas and the very first in Asia.

Last week I was invited to an exclusive preview of what their 31st establishment has to offer. From the first bite of the tuna sashimi taquitos, I knew we were in for quite a treat. Little cubes of tuna in a crisp shell topped with salsa roja, jalapeño and micro cilantro. Buttery rich lobster rolls. Melt-in-your-mouth pork belly skewers in spicy miso … and that was just the little canapés.

We then proceeded to be schooled in the art of sushi and sake. The head sushi chef of Nobu Hotel Manila walked us through rolling our own California rolls made not with your wrapped-in-plastic surimi, but real plump pieces of crab and some creamy avocado. We were instructed to keep our hands moist to prevent the rice from sticking. We also managed to keep our lips moist with the chilled Nobu house sake. Our glasses were never empty as we all generously poured for one another.

At the main table the dishes were served family-style, although I have to say that when I go back, some of them I will greedily have all to myself, like the yellowtail sashimi in a yuzu soy sauce, which chef Nobu created in Hawaii. He was visiting a friend’s restaurant and was tasked to make a staff meal and whipped up something from the available ingredients in the kitchen. (Sounds familiar … although I’m no Nobu Matsuhisa, I always find my most creative dishes are when I have very few ingredients to deal with.)

One of my favorites was the White Fish Tiradito made with local lapu-lapu, thinly sliced topped with a dry miso crumble and crisp garlic chips. Another was the Alaskan King Crab Tempura, a beautiful blend of crisp and fluffy, with a nice heat from fresh scallions and tang from pickled onions. And how can one not love that buttery black cod miso? In fact, everything was just so good that all around the table no one could really answer which one was our favorite.

“You never get bored,” declares executive chef Zachary Hillberry. “Each course is all so different from each other.” Which is true. The beauty of each dish was that they were all distinct in taste, not drowning in sweet soy and miso, as most Japanese-fusion copycats tend to do. Everything had balance: salty, sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, crunchy and creamy. From flavor to texture, a few fresh herbs and little savory condiments, everything was well rounded and always exciting.

The service will also be impeccable with Nobu’s unique, friendly style. Servers are meant to guide you through the menu and help you compose a selection for your table. Light, affable banter coupled with efficiency. The setting will also be impressive as the restaurant will be poolside, including floating water cabanas overlooking Manila Bay.

I can already imagine myself basking in the soft glow of Manila’s famous sunset, everything awash in rose tones, sipping some sake, slowly slipping into a semi-sensual food coma … and, unlike my first Nobu experience over 10 years ago, today I am fine.

One of my favorites was the White Fish Tiradito made with local lapu-lapu, thinly sliced topped with a dry miso crumble and crisp garlic chips. Another was the Alaskan King Crab Tempura, a beautiful blend of crisp and fluffy, with a nice heat from fresh scallions and tang from pickled onions. And how can one not love that buttery black cod miso? In fact, everything was just so good that all around the table no one could really answer which one was our favorite.

“You never get bored,” declares executive chef Zachary Hillberry. “Each course is all so different from each other.” Which is true. The beauty of each dish was that they were all distinct in taste, not drowning in sweet soy and miso, as most Japanese-fusion copycats tend to do. Everything had balance: salty, sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, crunchy and creamy. From flavor to texture, a few fresh herbs and little savory condiments, everything was well rounded and always exciting.

The service will also be impeccable with Nobu’s unique, friendly style. Servers are meant to guide you through the menu and help you compose a selection for your table. Light, affable banter coupled with efficiency. The setting will also be impressive as the restaurant will be poolside, including floating water cabanas overlooking Manila Bay.

I can already imagine myself basking in the soft glow of Manila’s famous sunset, everything awash in rose tones, sipping some sake, slowly slipping into a semi-sensual food coma … and, unlike my first Nobu experience over 10 years ago, today I am fine.