The Four Seasons doesn’t do things by halves and neither does Nobu Matsuhisa. His new Singapore iteration is a predictably high-craft affair that delivers beauty, comfort and flavour in equal measure, which will no doubt help reproduce the unrivalled Nobu magic that helps set it apart as an international restaurant brand. Take your place in either the alfresco Japanese garden housing a bar replete with exotic temptations, or at a table inside with magnetic views of the city skyline if, that is, your attention wanders.
Mawkish fans will go nuts when they experience the lively sense of occasion that the place embodies and they see some of the classic Japanese dishes using top-flight ingredients and Peruvian flavours on the menu. Black cod is marinated for days and always comes with the same thickness of miso crust, yellowtail jalapeno is given just the right amount of fieriness and people will cross town for the wagyu dumplings with spicy ponzu. Sushi is never short of first class – why not try their house special roll – and vegetables are treated with reverence. Simple presentation matches the decor and nothing comes cheap, but well trained staff will guide you through the menu.
Besides the Japanese gardenscape, there’s a chef’s table as part of a private dining space, and a teppanyaki dining experience complete with two teppanyaki private rooms. And if all the trans-Pacific coolness leaves you feeling a bit cold, warm yourself up with a connoisseur's selection from the saké bar.