The Beauty Unearthed by Nobu x Inch Lim

Served as an osusume, meaning “recommendation” or “invitation”, the à la carte basis menu offering promises an experience that would delight not only the sights but all the other senses as well. Chef Philip revealed that when they were discussing the idea of coming up with a special menu to celebrate one of the biggest floral occurrences in the world, he was just mesmerised by Inch’s immense floral knowledge and simplicity in style, which is very similar to the minimalist approach taken here at Nobu with the preparation of its menu items. He goes on to elaborate that the development of this menu was a very seamless yet thrilling process, with truly astounding results, which they are confident guests will love. Inch, who pridefully referred to himself as a gardener, added that he hoped guests at Nobu would enjoy these dishes as much as they had enjoyed the process of conceptualizing and creating them, while contributing to Nobu’s global hallmark.

Among the dishes on the menu are Sakura-infused sushi curated by Nobu Kuala Lumpur’s Head Sushi Chef, Masami Ouchi. These include Madai Sakura Sushi and Foie Gras on Sakura Monaka—where Foie Gras is marinated with Umezu (plum vinegar) and served on a Sakura-inspired Monaka. The dish showed off the great creativity that went into curating this menu, which is why it has that name.

Meanwhile, the Pen Shell Clam Sakura Ebi Oil and Mash Potato features a Sakura and shrimp-infused oil, a perfect blend to whet just about any appetite. Simple and direct, the dish demands attention when savouring. The shrimp-infused oil was not overpowering and was able to let the natural sweetness of the pen shell clam to coexist equally – a balance that is hard to come by.

Other dishes include the Heart of Palm with Dry Miso, a combination of flavours that accentuates the earthy and natural sweetness from the ever-so-rare, heart of palm. What is interesting about this dish is its unique texture; its creamy, tender flesh lies somewhere in between artichoke heart and water chestnut. More importantly, how the chef managed to balance out the taste profile to honor the ingredient, especially since the entire tree must be sacrificed in order to harvest the heart.