Nobu - BEYOND Ridiculous!

[Tiabla]

Re: BEYOND Ridiculous!

What can I say? I've been to Nobu three times now and every time I thought it was great. Perfect service, beautiful decor and amazing food!

Did I mention someone else picked up the bill each time?

[LikaNui]

Re: BEYOND Ridiculous!

They may as well charge you by-the-grain for rice.

Good gosh, man -- don't give Nobu any ideas!
And yes, BEYOND Ridiculous, indeed! Kalei99's story makes me appreciate the "bargains" in everything on the menus at Ruth's Chris, Hy's, Nick's Fish Market, and Morton's.
I also see the relevance of her sig line:

So long...and thanks for all the fish!

That's been her sig for a long time. I wonder if she'll edit that now.

[Menehune Man]

Re: Nobu - BEYOND Ridiculous!

Wow!

Here's a story from years ago somewhat along the same vein.

An aquaintance's wife invited us, and others to "Ruth's Chris" Steak House for a birthday gathering. I had no idea of the prices there and should have called ahead to investigate. They were business owners so it was nothing much to them. Needless to say, I had to borrow money to pay our portion of the bill and we ordered very lightly. $40 per average steak, then plus for brocolli and potatoe.

Sheesh... pre-credit card days so very embarrassing.

[Paul Ogata]

Re: Nobu - BEYOND Ridiculous!

Yeah, that stuff gets expensive. Earlier this year, I went to eat at Nobu's in the Hard Rock Hotel in Vegas. Toro there was $16 per piece, but brokdamout good. My wife and I ended up shelling out over $300 just for sushi, but it was all worth it. Thick cuts of fresh fish... *drool*.

But you do have to watch out for Wagyu (Kobe-style) beef. Some places will sell you non-Japanese Wagyu at Japanese Wagyu prices.

Hey, Leo... after Nobu's folds in Waikiki maybe you can talk Yuji into opening a Kona Kitchen it its place. (Kona Kitchen in Seattle had probably the best Lomi Salmon I've had in ages.)

[Composite 2992]

Re: BEYOND Ridiculous!

This brings to mind Creative-1's "What $4 Billion Dollars Can Buy" thread (regarding the rail transit issue).

In light of Kalei's experience, we may have to start one titled "What $675 dollars Can Buy"....

$675 can buy a dinner for 3 at Nobu in Waikiki ...OR...

• 8 Prix Fixe dinners for 2 at Roy's Waikiki (16 total covers)
• 25 All-You-Can-Eat Sunday Breakfast Brunch covers at The Willows
• 105 Zippy's Zip Pacs
• 122 "Lunch Box" Sushi Bento Packs from Kozo (or Aloha or Sushi Man) .. and probably taste just as good, if not better than the above

There's a Korean plate lunch place in Waipio that gives very generous portions for less than $8. In fact, it usually lasts me two days: Dinner, then lunch, then maybe even another light dinner.

With that, $675 could feed someone like me for almost three months.

[CranBeree]

Re: Nobu - BEYOND Ridiculous!

Nobu is ridiculous, very arrogant as if the world revolved at his command.
well that was my impression of him when i met him anyway.

umm, the prices they charge is very profitable since..well if they order their fish through the auction block, tamahshiro, tropic, fresh island, it would cost roughly 12.95-18.95 per lb depending on grades.

[mel]

Re: BEYOND Ridiculous!

This brings to mind Creative-1's "What $4 Billion Dollars Can Buy" thread (regarding the rail transit issue).

In light of Kalei's experience, we may have to start one titled "What $675 dollars Can Buy"....

$675 can buy a dinner for 3 at Nobu in Waikiki ...OR...

A 16 GB iPod Touch and an 80GB iPod Classic at the Apple online Store and a handful of songs with the change from the iTunes Music Store.

Those will last longer than steak, sushi or anything else from the dreadfully expensive restaurant.

[Mike_Lowery]

Re: Nobu - BEYOND Ridiculous!

could've bought 92 Burrell's transcripts.

[scrivener]

Re: Nobu - BEYOND Ridiculous!

umm, the prices they charge is very profitable since..well if they order their fish through the auction block, tamahshiro, tropic, fresh island, it would cost roughly 12.95-18.95 per lb depending on grades.

That's not where they get that super-duper high-grade toro. For the really good stuff that claims those kinds of prices, you're usually talking (I think) about Spain.

There's a place in the airport district called Mitch's Sushi. One of its options is a $75 per-person eat-what-we-bring-you meal and my friends say it is worth it, especially if Mitch has in the restaurant the Spanish toro. My sushi-loving friends say it is the best sushi they've ever had in their LIVES.

My understanding is that the high-end sushi places use that super-duper-quick-frozen sushi that thaws months later to fresh-quality. In a Food Network special about Masaharu Morimoto's opening a new restaurant in Philadelphia, Morimoto talked about how almost all the good restaurants in Japan serve fish that has been deep-deep frozen that way, and that only in America is there this hang-up about only eating fresh-never-frozen fish.

[MixedPlateBroker]

Re: Nobu - BEYOND Ridiculous!

$675 would cover round-trip airfare for three to Lanai AND dinner at the Lodge at Koele.

I wish our consumer supply chain would embrace the cryogenic way. The best scallops I've ever had were day boat scallops from the Gulf of Mexico. Those tender morsels were flash frozen on the fishing boat and were the freshest-tasting bivalves I've had the honor of sticking a fork in.

[SusieMisajon]

Re: Nobu - BEYOND Ridiculous!

I am SO that I no longer go out to eat. I LOVE my home-made chicken soup.

[ExtraScoop]

Re: Nobu - BEYOND Ridiculous!

Nobu is ridiculous, very arrogant as if the world revolved at his command.
well that was my impression of him when i met him anyway.

I've met him twice at his Beveryly Hills restaurant, Matsuhisa, and he was very nice to us both times. He chatted with us and posed for pictures with the inlaws. He seemed very humble if anything.

I love the food. To me it has a deep flavor. Soulful. Miso Black cod is my favorite. It's VERY expensive, but we knew that going in.

[1stwahine]

Re: Nobu - BEYOND Ridiculous!

I've met him twice at his Beveryly Hills restaurant, Matsuhisa, and he was very nice to us both times. He chatted with us and posed for pictures with the inlaws. He seemed very humble if anything.

I love the food. To me it has a deep flavor. Soulful. Miso Black cod is my favorite. It's VERY expensive, but we knew that going in.

There's a huge difference when you're spending KALA at a person's business vs doing business with them when they become the purchaser. Of course, spending ukapila $$$ at his place will get you a picture as well as sweet talk from the SOB!

Auntie Lynn

[CranBeree]

Re: Nobu - BEYOND Ridiculous!

That's not where they get that super-duper high-grade toro. For the really good stuff that claims those kinds of prices, you're usually talking (I think) about Spain.

There's a place in the airport district called Mitch's Sushi. One of its options is a $75 per-person eat-what-we-bring-you meal and my friends say it is worth it, especially if Mitch has in the restaurant the Spanish toro. My sushi-loving friends say it is the best sushi they've ever had in their LIVES.

My understanding is that the high-end sushi places use that super-duper-quick-frozen sushi that thaws months later to fresh-quality. In a Food Network special about Masaharu Morimoto's opening a new restaurant in Philadelphia, Morimoto talked about how almost all the good restaurants in Japan serve fish that has been deep-deep frozen that way, and that only in America is there this hang-up about only eating fresh-never-frozen fish.

it depends scriv on where they are buying, if they are buying direct then yes its a possibility, and they (still?) may be buying through any of the places i've mentioned above. did you know its considered fresh (fish) up to 10 days old depending on how it is handled? places as i've mentioned do bring in imports through tahiti, ecuador, costa rica, marshall islands etc. i forget where else. but you know when a sale for 9.95 salmon is being sold to Buzz's and then sold for 29.95 at restaurant prices, you can imagine i get very cynic at those prices. i'm not aware of where Nobu does his business does these days, but i do know when he opened the restaurant, he bought fish from certain areas. btw, a place you sometimes frequent for a late lunch/dinner is true to their word. always fresh, never frozen.

[CranBeree]

Re: Nobu - BEYOND Ridiculous!

There's a huge difference when you're spending KALA at a person's business vs doing business with them when they become the purchaser. Of course, spending ukapila $$$ at his place will get you a picture as well as sweet talk from the SOB!

Auntie Lynn

AMEN TO THAT!