The Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeño arrives the way it always has at Nobu. Five thin slices of yellowtail laid in a circle around a single bright disc of chilli, brushed with yuzu-soy ponzu, finished with a small leaf of coriander. One bite, and the jalapeño lands before the fish, then the citrus follows, then the umami of the soy lingers.
It is the dish that helped put Nobu on the global map in the late 1990s, and at Nobu Kuala Lumpur, it has not been off the menu in over a decade.
This is a guide to 7 must-try dishes that define the kitchen, drawn from a tasting visit during the Japanese Five Senses chapter.
Read also: 10 Most Unique Restaurants in Malaysia for Unforgettable Dining
Nobu Kuala Lumpur: Japanese-Peruvian Destination
Nobu Kuala Lumpur opened in November 2015 as the first Nobu outpost in Malaysia, originally located on the 56th floor of Petronas Tower 3. In 2021, the restaurant moved into an 8,636 sqft space at Level 4A of Shoppes at Four Seasons Place, with floor-to-ceiling KLCC views, a 12-seat private sake room, an open sushi counter, and a kitchen island whose layout was guided by Executive Chef Philip Leong himself.
The Nobu brand is built on a Japanese-Peruvian fusion that Chef Nobu first developed during his early career in 1970s Lima, before later opening Matsuhisa in Beverly Hills with co-founder Robert De Niro in 1994. The Kuala Lumpur kitchen carries forward that DNA with steady fidelity, while Chef Philip layers in seasonal innovations that change with the seasons.
Nori Taco with Caviar
The Nori Taco with Caviar is one of Nobu’s newer global signatures and one of the dishes Chef Philip rotates through seasonal tasting menus. A crisp nori taco shell holds a small spoon of guacamole topped with a generous spoon of caviar.
The play is Japanese-Mexican via Nobu’s Peruvian DNA: the umami of the seaweed, the fat of the avocado, the briny pop of the caviar. One bite, finished.
Read also: Foie Gras in Fine Dining: 7 Truths Restaurants Cannot Ignore
Crispy Rice with Salmon
The Crispy Rice with Salmon is, on paper, a small bar snack. In practice, it is one of the most philosophically dense dishes at Nobu KL. The plate is built on the Japanese principle of mottainai (a deep aversion to waste) and transforms surplus rice and salmon trimmings into the kitchen’s most unexpectedly impressive bite.
Each cube of rice is pressed, deep-fried until the surface shatters, and topped with a delicate slice of salmon that has been gently seasoned. The contrast is textural and conceptual: a fine dining kitchen choosing to elevate what other restaurants would throw away.
This was the standout dish during the Japanese Five Senses tasting chapter, and it has earned permanent rotation status on the bar menu.
Chilean Seabass with Coral Butter
The Chilean Seabass with Coral Butter is one of Nobu KL’s seasonal showcase pieces. The seabass is cooked until just flaky and finished with a coral butter made from the prawn heads usually discarded in other kitchens. The butter is whisked in at the last moment, giving the sauce a depth that reads simultaneously creamy and oceanic.
This is another dish that follows Nobu KL’s broader commitment to mottainai cooking, and one that shows up across the kitchen’s seasonal omakase rotations.
Lobster Chawanmushi
The Lobster Chawanmushi arrives as a silken oceanic custard, made by slow-steaming a dashi-based egg base until just-set, then folding in tender pieces of poached lobster.
The custard quivers when you push the spoon in. The dashi underneath gives a clean umami foundation that lets the sweetness of the lobster come through. This is the dish to order when you want something warm, savoury, and deeply satisfying without being heavy.
Matsuhisa Martini: The Cocktail That De Niro Drinks
The Matsuhisa Martini is the unofficial house cocktail of every Nobu in the world and Robert De Niro’s favourite drink at the brand. The recipe is simple: vodka, Hokusetsu sake, pickled ginger, shaken with ice and served with a thin cucumber slice as garnish.
At Nobu KL, it is served at the front bar before dinner. The pickled ginger brings sweetness and warmth, while the Hokusetsu sake (Nobu’s own house brand brewed on Sado Island in Japan) gives the drink a clean, dry finish.
What Should You Order on a First Visit to Nobu KL?
On a first visit to Nobu Kuala Lumpur, order the Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeño, the Black Cod Miso, the Crispy Rice with Salmon, and one of the seasonal omakase menus to taste Chef Philip’s current direction.
The yellowtail and the black cod are the two most identifying Nobu dishes globally. The crispy rice shows the kitchen’s mottainai philosophy at its sharpest. And the seasonal omakase gives you the freshest expression of what the team is doing right now.
Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeño
The Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeño is the dish you order first. It has been on the Nobu menu since the brand’s earliest days. The version at Nobu KL is built on hamachi flown in for the kitchen, sliced thin and laid in a circle on a chilled plate, each slice topped with a translucent disc of fresh jalapeño, then brushed with a yuzu-soy ponzu.
The chilli gives the mild yellowtail definition and lift without overwhelming it. This is Nobu’s most globally recognised dish for a reason: balanced, immediate, and difficult to imitate well.
Black Cod Miso
The Black Cod Miso is Nobu’s other defining plate. The cod is marinated for three days in a sweet white miso and sake-kasu blend, then grilled until the surface caramelises and the flesh inside turns silken.
At Nobu KL, it arrives on a small leaf with a hajikami pickle garnish on the side. The first cut should be deep and slow, because the fish flakes apart with almost no resistance and the miso marinade has penetrated all the way through.
If you only order two dishes from the à la carte menu, make it the yellowtail and this.
How Much Does Nobu Kuala Lumpur Cost?
Nobu Kuala Lumpur prices range from MYR 190++ for a set lunch (served with miso soup and salad, with optional dessert upgrade for MYR 20++) up to MYR 900++ for the Festive Omakase Menu during peak periods.
Seasonal omakase tasting menus typically range between MYR 600 and MYR 900++ per person, with optional beverage pairings (sake, wine, or champagne) at an additional MYR 400 to MYR 475++.
All prices are subject to 10% service charge.
Top Japanese Fine Dining in Kuala Lumpur
Nobu Kuala Lumpur opened in 2015 on the 56th floor of Petronas Tower 3 and moved to its current home at Level 4A of Shoppes at Four Seasons Place in 2021, with floor-to-ceiling windows facing KLCC Park and the Petronas Twin Towers.
Now in its second decade, Nobu KL is one of the longest-running outposts of Chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa’s global Japanese-Peruvian empire and the city’s most consistent destination for fine-dining omakase.
How to Get to Nobu Kuala Lumpur
Nobu Kuala Lumpur is located at Level 4A of Shoppes at Four Seasons Place, on Jalan Ampang in the KLCC district. From KLCC LRT, it is a 10-minute walk through the connected mall network.
Valet parking is available at the Four Seasons Place lobby, and direct lift access runs from the underground carpark to the restaurant entrance.
Contact & Reservations
- Address: L4A-05, Shoppes at Four Seasons Place, 145 Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Contact number: +603 2380 0028
- WhatsApp: +60 19-389 5085
- Website: noburestaurants.com/kuala-lumpur
- Hours: 11.30am to 2pm, 6pm to 10pm daily
Chef Philip Leong: Architect-Turned-Chef Behind Nobu KL
Executive Chef Philip Leong has run the Nobu Kuala Lumpur kitchen since opening day in 2015, but his story with Nobu goes back to 1997. Born in Ipoh and trained as an architect at Curtin University, Leong transitioned from architecture to fine dining early in his career.
His architectural background is visible in the kitchen island he co-designed at the current Four Seasons Place location, which was the first in Malaysia to incorporate a ceiling-integrated extraction hood.
He works alongside Head Sushi Chef Chico in Kuala Lumpur, with regular visits from Nobu Corporate Sushi Chef Toshiyuki Shiramizu, who ensures the brand’s sushi philosophy stays consistent across all locations.
Read also: Top Restaurant Picks: 13 Halal Fine Dining in Kuala Lumpur
Mottainai and Conscious Fine Dining
Nobu Kuala Lumpur’s commitment to mottainai, the Japanese aversion to waste, is the through-line that connects the Crispy Rice with Salmon, the coral butter from prawn heads, the seasonal omakase menus that change with what is in peak season, and the kitchen team’s broader approach to sourcing.
In a fine dining context where excess is often equated with luxury, Nobu KL has chosen the opposite path: ingredient respect, ingredient transformation, and ingredient longevity. Eating here is a way to see that philosophy play out at the highest level, and an endorsement of the kitchens pushing the conversation forward.
This Nobu Kuala Lumpur review is based on a hosted tasting at the restaurant, with all dish details, prices, and contact information verified against Nobu KL’s official channels.
Get the good stuff first. Join Rolling Grace for the restaurants worth crossing a city for, the stays worth the upgrade, and the places to go before everyone else. Free, straight to your inbox.
Leave a Reply