Birthday lunch @ Nobu [Crown Melbourne]

It has been an incredibly busy past few weeks, with a few November birthday celebrations in the family, lengthy dance rehearsals, and the arrival of a new baby in the family just a few days ago (my sister's not mine)! I myself celebrated my birthday a few weeks ago, and hubby arranged to bring me out for a birthday lunch. He was very secretive about his plans for the day, but he had to ask my sister to help collect our youngest from kinder and to look after her, forgetting to tell my sister that it was supposed to be a surprise. One thing that remained a surprise until we arrived was the location of lunch, which was at Nobu. Japanese cuisine remains one of my favourite, so hubby did very well in his choice. The Nobu brand is probably the world's most recognised Japanese restaurant, and we had the pleasure of dining at Nobu in Hong Kong where we enjoyed the fusion of traditional Japanese cuisine with Peruvian ingredients. Nobu is located inside the Crown complex, a place that I quite enjoy visiting without having to set foot inside the casino. Service was friendly but professional, and our waiter was very helpful in recommending drinks and food. The contemporary timber decor and the lovely river views made for a stylishly cool setting for a celebratory meal. I finally got to try Nobu's lunch bento boxes, almost exactly two years after I first set my sights on them in the menu. The food was excellently executed with top quality ingredients, and hubby and I enjoyed every morsel of food.

Hokusetsu onigoroshi (devil killer) sake. Flavour profile: "dry and refreshing, savoury notes arise on the palate". I've yet to encounter a sake I do not enjoy:

Hubby's Mayura Gold Series Wagyu with Wasabi Salsa. That wagyu was everything a good quality wagyu should be - tender and melt-in-your-mouth texture with a beautiful flavour. This was a tasty dish, even the cauliflower had absorbed the flavourful broth and was such a pleasure to eat:

Nobu Signature Bento Box - clockwise from top left: sashimi salad with Matsuhisa dressing, Chef’s selection of assorted sushi, seafood ceviche, baby tiger prawns with creamy spicy sauce, black cod Saikyo miso, sautéed seasonal vegetables with spicy garlic sauce. Every bite was excellent:

Whisky Cappuccino with cardamon cream, toasted cinnamon crunch, espresso gelato and Suntory Whisky foam. Such a cute presentation, and so delicious:

Petit Four of matcha azuki bean donut and Earl Grey mochi ice cream, complete with a written birthday wish:

Nobu [Crown Melbourne]
Crown Riverwalk, Crown Melbourne
8 Whiteman St
Southbank VIC 3006
Tel. +61 3 9292 5777