Mrs. Horne and I dined at Nobu for Thanksgiving and although it’s not a seaside eatery, I’ve mentioned it in a few posts (Romeo’s – NOBU in Falmouth?), so I thought I’d give you a review.
It’s located inside the Indian Wells Tennis Center. Last year Peter gave a very generous gift certificate for Christmas and we planned to take him there when he came west to visit.
Unfortunately, he visited during the BNP Paribas Tennis Tournament and the only way to eat at NOBU during the tournament was with a VIP Package that costs $750 per person.
Thanksgiving At NOBU
We typically spend Thanksgiving with family or friends, but we decided this was the perfect occasion to celebrate with Peter’s gift. Thanksgiving Dinner is traditionally around 2:00, but NOBU doesn’t open until 5:00, so that had to do.
We arrived amid a beautiful sunset…
NOBU is located in the heart of the Tennis Center and there is an elaborate security team that makes sure no one enters before 5:00. It’s a bit of a walk and they offer a golf cart shuttle near valet parking.
The interior is warm and inviting.
We booked a table but opted to sit at the bar (as usual) to catch the end of the football game.
The Food
NOBU is both a Sushi and Tapas Bar. We’ve dined here and at the one in Malibu, and never had anything that looked remotely like a large plate.
If you’re looking for a large starter salad, steak, potatoes, and dessert, you might have to spend a lot of money to leave with a full stomach.
But as you may know, Mrs. Horne and I tend to eat light, so the menu works perfectly.
Mrs. Horne began with sushi…
She shared a piece and it was fine, but a spicy tuna roll is a bit pedestrian, so I can’t say if their sushi is great or just average. Mrs. Horne liked it!
She also ordered Edamame…
($2 to add Truffle, Fresh or Spicy Garlic)
Also pedestrian, we probably should have tried the $2 Spicy Garlic upgrade.
We shared the seaweed salad and that’s when the NOBU edge first appeared!
It was less sweet than the seaweed salad we expected and unlike the typical silky texture, it had more crunch. I suspect they source special varieties of seaweed.
Based on Yelp photos, I think the Rock Shrimp is the most popular dish on the menu.
The flavor profile is similar to East Coast Boom Boom Shrimp, but the coating was a tad heavier – as was the $36 price!
We had enjoyed the Lamb Chops here before, so we ordered them again.
The presentation is truly elegant and the three chops were substantial in size. Unfortunately, the chef seems to have cranked up the heat. Mrs. Horne found them too hot and while I ate two, I would have preferred a little less spice.
The Killer Bento Box
The most curious item on the dessert menu was the Bento Box. A Bento Box is a traditional way to serve a cold-to-go Japanese lunch (the box has separate compartments like a TV Dinner).
At NOBU, the serving box is the only Bento ingredient in the dessert.
Valrhona Dark Chocolate Fondant, Imperial Matcha Gelato
This was one of the tastiest desserts I’ve ever eaten. The cake was a perfect soufflé with a mouth-watering molten dark chocolate center. The gelato was creamy and smooth.
NOBU is a bit of a Bucket List culinary experience and we’re fortunate to have one in our neighborhood.
That said, if I had a choice of dinner at NOBU or Romeo’s, I’d pick Romeo’s.
If you are anywhere near Falmouth, you must check out our own local take on NOBU!