The surprises offered by Nobu – the high-end and high-profile restaurant that opened last fall at Caesars Atlantic City – begin the second you enter the main dining room. Given its pedigree as a favorite of the rich – and very rich – famous from Manhattan to Las Vegas, Marrakech to Manila, one would expect to find an ornate and ostentatious space that screams wealth and privilege.
But the 183-seat capacity eatery – including bar and auxiliary rooms – on the casino’s second level at a former players’ lounge looks and feels far more like the kind of upscale Asian-focused chain restaurant you might find at a suburban mall rather than a super-posh retreat for the glitterati.
That’s thanks to a shades-of-red and off-white color scheme that tints its array of booths and tables; the open kitchen that sits behind a long sushi bar; and unpretentious, Asian style ceiling light fixtures.
As such, the first-time visitor may be moved to wonder what, exactly, is the big deal about the globally acclaimed restaurant empire founded by uber-chef Nobuyuki “Nobu” Matsuhisa, film producer Mier Teper and Hollywood immortal Robert De Niro? As it turns out, the restaurant’s low-key visual approach makes perfect sense: Nobu is truly about the food and an over-the-top environment would only pull attention away from it.
“In my opinion, at the end of the day, you’re experiencing culinary art,” said general manager Nicholas LoGuidice. “You’re also experiencing what Chef Nobu has put together throughout his career. Not just the Japanese food, but Japanese food with a Peruvian twist, a South American twist.
“So you’re going to get those citrus flavors, you’re going to get that cilantro,” he added. “You’re going to get something that most Japanese restaurants are not offering.”
That may sound like typical hyperbole, but here’s another surprise: LoGuidice’s use of the word art when describing his restaurant’s offerings is, in this case, fully justified. As someone who has been dining at casino eateries in Atlantic City and across the country for more than four decades, I can confirm the veracity of LoGuidice’s assertion: While Atlantic City has long offered some of the best dining on the East Coast, I have never encountered flavors like Nobu’s.
The more than a dozen dishes – including desserts – that my dining companion and I sampled during a recent visit comprised a kaleidoscope of flavors that were bold and subtle, sweet and tangy, familiar, but with a twist, and on the whole, unique.
Virtually every dish defied preconceived notions. Add to that a dazzling presentation, a knowledgeable and personable staff (try to get one of Aubrey’s tables) and impeccable service (at one point, a few drops of errant soy sauce were wiped away literally seconds after they hit the table), and it’s clear Nobu at Caesars takes seriously its corporate mission statement:
“Our mission is to provide every guest with a Nobu-style experience, focused on quality ingredients, exceptional service and inspired cuisine, in order to go above and beyond our guests’ expectations, and continually offer an element of the unexpected,” the statement reads.
So what are the “must-have” items on the small-plate-focused menu? Chef Wendi Velazquez, who oversees a kitchen that utilizes local and non-regional food sources, named New Style Sashimi (salmon or whitefish), Umami Sea Bass and Lamb Chops with Rosemary Miso as her “go-to” items. For those looking to go off menu, add Wagyu steak on a hot stone to the list.
Of the dishes I sampled, the most memorable were the Tataki New Style Steak Toban Yaki, an absolutely perfect piece of beef that defines “melt-in-your-mouth,” King Crab Tempura and Squid Pasta in Garlic Sauce.
It’s only fair to note that not every dish hit it out of the park: The Rock Shrimp Tempura was also a surprise, but because it was unexpectedly generic in both taste and presentation, the flaw in the gem, as it were.
And lest you think beverages are an afterthought at Nobu, be advised the drink menu is a 14-page booklet highlighted by a dozen types of sake, nine of which are exclusively made for Nobu by the Hokusetsu brand (the Junmai Jinjo 71 was superb). There are also a number of specialty cocktails and beers.
Of course, dining at this impossibly high level doesn’t come cheap. Even by high-end, casino-restaurant standards, Nobu is pricey; it may very well be the most expensive dining spot in AyCee casino history. But for those with the means – or player rating – Nobu is an absolute must.
And as for everyone else, GM LoGuidice makes no apologies.
“At the end of the day, we give the highest-quality ingredients when it comes to the food and the best toppings that you can get,” he noted. “It’s about the food. And great service.
“The price point can be a little high for some people, but that’s what you’re paying for.”
Funny ladies to hit Hard Rock
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City is one of four stops planned by TV comedy titans Tina Fey (“30 Rock”) and Amy Pohler (“Parks and Recreation”).
Tickets are now on sale for the June 10 appearance at Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena by the two superstars, both of whom are “Saturday Night Live” alumni. The other three stops on their planned “Restless Legs Tour” are in Chicago; Washington D.C.; and Boston, which makes the Hard Rock date quite the coup for the Boardwalk gaming hall.
For tickets, go to www.ticketmaster.com.
