Defined by the inspired flavours, innovative dishes and timelesss sophistication mastered by Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, Nobu opened to great fanfare in Toronto in August 2024, with executive chef Alex Tzatzos, a Nobu alumnus who previously led the kitchen at Nobu London Old Park Lane, and head sushi chef Samuel Leung at the helm. Inside, the 10,000-square-foot two-storey space designed by Toronto interior designer Alessandro Munge of Studio Munge, the 140-seat dining room, designed to resemble an Edo-era Japanese courtyard, unfurls around an illuminated porcelain-and-brass ginkgo sculpture by Andreea Braescu. Circular blond elm beams, featuring intricate Japanese joinery, ripple around the art piece. The space is breathtaking. Having dined at Nobu Tokyo, and fallen in love with his Wagyu Beef Mini Gyozas and mouthwateringly delicious sushi and sashimi omakase, we arrived for my husband's special birthday dinner at Canada's first flagship location on Mercer Street, and eagerly awaited sampling Nobu's signature dishes. Surprisingly there was no significant Sake menu so we had to make do with a bottle of champagne! The Black Cod, Tempura Shrimp and Wagyu Dumplings were sensational and worth a return trip to Nobu.
The stylish bar on the main floor of Nobu Toronto
Nobu Old Fashioned with Kuromitsu, a Japanese sugar syrup
Nobu Sushi Bar
O-Toro Sushi, Salmon and Hamachi Nigiri Sushi, Spicy Tuna Sushi Maki and
House Special Sushi Maki with tuna, salmon, yellowtail, white fish, snow crab, smelt egg,
scallion, avocado and daikon
Rock Shrimp Tempura with Creamy Spicy Sauce
Serves 4-6
Recipe courtesy of Nobu Matsuhisa
Creamy Spicy Sauce:
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp rice vinegar
6 1/2 tbsp grapeseed oil, or other mildly flavoured oil
2 tsp chilli garlic sauce, such as Toban Djan
Tempura Batter:
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup iced water
1 cup all-purpose flour
Rock Shrimp:
1 1/2 lb rock shrimp, or large shrimp cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp Yuzu juice or lemon juice
1/4 cup ponzu, in a small dipping cup and set aside
Salad leaves, mixed for serving
Vegetable oil for deep frying
For the sauce, begin with whisking together the egg yolk in a small bowl. Add the sea salt, pepper and vinegar and very gradually whisk in the grapeseed oil, little by little to create an emulsion. Lastly, stir in in chilli garlic sauce.
Prepare the shrimp by removing the heads from the bodies and peeling the shell from the tails. Cut a small incision along the back of each and remove the dark vein or intestinal tract. Rinse under cold running water and drain. Heat a medium to large pan of oil (3 to 4 inches deep) at 350°F.
To make the tempura batter, mix the ice-cold water and the egg yolk in a mixing bowl, using a pair of chopsticks. Then add the flour, a little at a time, mixing it in with the chopsticks until it is all incorporated. Don't overwork it, or the batter will become heavy, so aim for a loose batter that still has a few little lumps of unmixed flour.
One at a time, dip the shrimp into the cold tempura batter, then let any excess batter runoff. Then, Gently place each piece of shrimp in the hot cooking oil and fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until lightly golden coloured and crisp. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Once all the shrimps are cooked, place them on the salad leaves and sprinkle with snipped chives. Serve with a bowl of spicy cream sauce and small cup of ponzu, for dipping.
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