Next Door Nobu: Doesn't Play Second Fiddle to its Big Sister
Written: Jul 25 '01 (Updated Jul 26 '01)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Food and Presentation: |
 |
|
| Ambiance and Decor: |
|
|
| Quality of Service: |
 |
|
|
Pros: Very good food that sometimes approaches sublime. You can get a table this century.
Cons: No reservations policy. Crowded seating. Impersonal service.
The Bottom Line: Next Door Nobu offers food (and prices) on par with Nobu in a more inviting setting. Best of all, you can always get a table if you arrive early.
|
|
|
| Epicure's Full Review: Nobu |
Nobu was one of the three famed downtown eateries that introduced me to the pleasures of a business lunch back in the fall of 1996. You must remember that 1996 was post-Bouley but pre-Bouley Bakery and pre-Danube. There really weren’t that many stylish bastions of fine dining near Wall Street in those days, especially compared to the midtown glitterati-studded places. So Nobu, Chanterelle and Montrachet became my regular haunts when the Firm was kind enough to pick up the tab.
My first week of work: I was a green young thing all decked out in my silk suit and shiny new shoes. I had the look of a wet-behind-the-ears first-year associate trying desperately to play the part of a seasoned attorney even though I hadn’t the faintest idea what being a corporate lawyer was all about. Nevertheless, the Powers That Be thought to test my persuasive abilities by sending me on an interview lunch with a recruit from Columbia, a plum assignment that would make the day of any junior associate. As I hung up the phone with our recruiting director, I congratulated myself on being so well-prepared -Nobu’s number was already programmed on my speed dial.
Given that I knew nothing about the practice of law at the Firm and given that the recruit couldn’t care less about the menial chores of an overworked minion - uh, I mean associate - anyway, we had a most delightful lunch comparing notes on the best chocolate cake in town. When it came time to settle the check, I whipped out my corporate plastic with a heady sense of satisfaction because I knew this was just the beginning. Regardless of how much blood, sweat and tears the Firm would wring from me over the next few years, I was going to get a hell of a culinary tour out of it.
Between 1996 and 2000 (which is when I changed jobs), the downtown area experienced a kind of renaissance. In addition to the luxury hotels, high-end retail stores, and state-of-the-art apartment complexes that were springing up on every block, fashionable restaurants began laying claim to the neglected, empty storefronts of Tribeca. With great anticipation, I made my first reservation at City Hall, Laight Street, Pico and many others. But even though I was eager to sample every new thing that came along, I never forgot about Nobu, a restaurant which I consider notable more for its astonishing consistency when it comes to fresh, expertly prepared seafood than for its celebrity clientele (although we did sit next to Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck at dinner one night).
The most unpleasant aspect about dining at Nobu is the struggle to secure a reservation. Nobu’s reservation line is the reason why AT&T offers a continuous redial service. On some mornings, it would take me 30 minutes to get through to the reservationist. Frankly, it stuns me that after seven years (and a countless array of restaurant trends) Nobu is still as popular as it is.
So with that in mind last Sunday, Mr. Epicure and I decided to eschew the entire painful exercise in redialing and dined at Next Door Nobu instead.
Next Door Nobu is the more casual little sister of Nobu. I personally prefer the ambiance of NDN to that of Nobu. It’s a little less trendy and a little more of a neighborhood hangout than Nobu. Its color scheme and decor remind me of the desert. The walls are different shades of sand. One wall is made with sheets of nori (seaweed) covered with layers of lacquer. Thick, grain-colored, woven rugs hang from the wall behind our table. Cone-shaped, latticed, metal lighting fixtures dangle from the ceiling. In one corner of the restaurant, adjacent to the kitchen is a spacious sushi bar with seating at a long counter for sushi devotees.
Unlike at other famous Japanese restaurants in the city, sushi is not the thing at NDN just as it is not the thing at Nobu, which is not a criticism of the restaurant in any way. The sushi at NDN is certainly fresh and very tasty. If you are a sushi lover who lives in a town where fresh sushi is rare, by all means order some sushi at NDN. The sea eel, live scallop and soft-shell crab are particularly good. But if quality sushi is not terribly difficult for you to procure, I would recommend skipping the sushi and saving your appetite for the many unique dishes that only Nobu and NDN offer.
Mr. Epicure and I started with the Rock Shrimp Tempura served with Ponzu Sauce ($16), an irresistible plate of finger food which we devoured with our chopsticks. I remember the rock shrimp being smaller, more like popcorn shrimp, during my previous visits, but these lightly battered shrimp were still mysteriously addictive. Must have been the mirin in the ponzu sauce.
The Creamy Spicy Crab ($17) was our next dish. Visually, it was not terribly appealing. It reminded me of some sort of cheese casserole dish. A layer of baked bright orange crust that was the exact shade of extra sharp Tillanook cheddar cheese blanketed the crabmeat. It turned out to be the creamy, spicy sauce. Underneath it was a mix of fresh Dungeness crabmeat, scallions and smelt roe. The crabmeat tasted fresh, but the overabundance of smelt infused each bite with a crunchy saltiness that overpowered the natural sweetness of the crabmeat. I don’t think we will order this dish again.
Thank goodness for the Black Cod with Miso ($16), which completely wiped out any misgivings that I had about the crab dish and anything else that might have been wrong. The Black Cod is one of Chef Matsuhisa’s signature dishes, and in my humble opinion, NDN’s raison d’etre. In fact, our spontaneous visit to NDN last Sunday could almost be entirely attributed to the Black Cod. I had a sudden, inexplicable craving for this most decadent of seafood dishes. Others have tried to imitate it, but none with much success. This heavenly filet is so tender it is unreal. Its texture is as smooth and slippery as jello, but firm, not quivery with the most sublime slightly charred, miso-glazed surface. Don’t scrape off the skin! That’s the most flavorful part of the fish.
The Rock Shrimp Tempura, Creamy Spicy Crab and Black Cod are all available at Nobu for the same price, I might add, but the Hot and Cold Noodle section is unique to NDN’s menu. Among the selection, I noticed a number of soba (thin buckwheat noodles) and udon (thick wheat noodles)dishes. The hot noodle dishes tend to be served in a broth while the cold noodle dishes are typically served with a dipping sauce.
On a warm summer evening, I always welcome a cold noodle dish, particularly one as simply and beautifully presented as the one at NDN. Our Cold Somen ($10) consisted of a pile of thin wheat noodles (imagine angel hair pasta)resting on top of an elegant spear-shaped leaf which covered nearly the entire length of the plate, with a dainty pinch of nori on the side. The leaf sat on top of a layer of finely crushed ice. Tea-cup size bowls filled with ponzu-flavored dipping sauce were placed in front of each of us. I sprinkled some scallions into my bowl, and dipped a mouthful of noodles into the sauce. I let the pale, slim noodles swim in the sauce for a half a minute before taking a bite. It was delicious - not too salty even though the intense color of the dipping sauce would have you believe otherwise.
Other favorite dishes which I have ordered in the past include the Sashimi Salad ($18), which contains the most tender slabs of rosy-hued tuna and the Arctic Char with Baby Spinach. A lawyer sitting at the table next to us told his date that he had been dying for the Lobster Salad with Sh!take Mushrooms ($29) all week as he took in the dish with his greedy eyes. By the way, there is approximately 3-5 inches between each table, so yes, you can hear every word spoken by your neighbors.
When it comes time for dessert, you will probably see several familiar selections on the dessert menu, all with a slight Japanese variation. I ordered the Bento Box ($10) on the recommendation of our server while Mr. Epicure decided to try the Shiso Crepe ($10) also upon our server's recommendation. Shiso is a Japanese mint commonly used for sushi. The flavor is so mild that you probably don’t even notice its presence, but it definitely adds a refreshing tingle to whatever you are eating. Most of the time, shiso is sprinkled on ever so sparingly, but with regards to this dessert, it was present in abundance. The entire crepe was covered with a shiso and strawberry syrup. I questioned whether it would be too much until I tasted it. The pairing of the shiso and strawberries is positively inspired. The crepe itself and the marscapone cheese filling are actually a little on the bland side. Perhaps the pastry chef did not want the shiso and strawberry topping to be upstaged since the syrup is definitely the star here.
I suspect that for most diners part of the allure of the Bento Box is the presentation. In Japan, bento boxes are lovely, multi-compartment, lacquered lunch boxes, made with wood or plastic, featuring delicate flower motifs and other intricate designs. The bento box used by NDN was simple with no ornamentation, but the moist, molten chocolate cake, crowned with bits of shiso and the creamy scoop of green tea ice cream still looked rather dramatic inside the brick red and black box with rounded edges. While there was nothing that special about the dessert other than the presentation and the shiso, I enjoyed the slightly bitter taste of the chocolate combined with the smoky flavor of the green tea ice cream. Unlike most molten chocolate cakes, this one was not overly sweet or overly gushy.
The service at NDN was professional and courteous as usual, but I had the feeling that our server was just going through the motions. Maybe it’s the result of having to deal with one too many tourists, but I thought he explained the menu and recited his recommendations in a clockwork fashion devoid of all personality. I don’t mean to be harsh because I understand how grueling the restaurant business can be, but it was only 6:30 p.m. While I wouldn’t say the service was poor, it definitely lacked a personal touch. Throughout the evening, our server only dropped by once to check in on us.
Over the past few years, Chef Matsuhisa has steadily expanded his restaurant empire. You can now experience Nobu in London, Las Vegas, Tokyo, and Malibu. From what I have read, I gather Chef Matsuhisa spends little time in his New York restaurants, which made me a bit wary. As we all know, it’s not uncommon for a renowned restaurant to fall from grace after its chef begins making celebrity appearances on television and lending his name to cook books. But such is not the case with NDN. The restaurant has maintained a very high quality of food, and I would happily return. Now if only I could find some way to reactivate my corporate card.
Need more proof that epinions' filter system is screwy? They won't let me write about Sh!take mushrooms!
Address: 105 Hudson Street, New York, New York
Telephone: 212-334-4445
Reservations: None accepted for parties smaller than six - everyone else is first come, first serve. I would suggest arriving no later than 6 p.m. if you want to be guaranteed a table without a wait.
Attire: Stylishly casual
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes, but most of Chef Matsuhisa’s specialties are not for vegetarians.
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Best Suited For: Trendy Crowd
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
Epicure
|
 - Top 500 |
|
Location: New York, NY
Reviews written: 88
Trusted by: 100 members
About Me:
I generally avoid temptation....unless I can't resist it.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.