Nobu has carved out a reputation around the world as a celebrity hangout, and while the Beckhams are still missing from its Dubai outlet, all the other pieces are in place, says Ryan Harrison.

Dubai’s edition of the distinguished Nobu restaurant is not the celeb hangout of its London or Los Angeles counterparts. Instead, you’ll be dining alongside families and tourists from the Atlantis hotel, as well as the odd business suit and romantic couple. Nevertheless, the place doesn’t skimp on style.

As you saunter into Nobu from the hubbub of the hotel’s underground passageways, you’ll relax in the cocktail anteroom amid the hum of soothing music and quiet chatter of restaurant goers. Far from being an experience that is too-cool-for-school, the restaurant proper is more like a modern twist on an open-plan cafeteria.

Mid-to-high market, yet easy going and unpretentious. Work your way through the maze of randomly-placed tables and Japanese artifacts as you admire the ceiling with its intricate white leaf pattern and traditional wicker-lined walls, which adds to the authenticity of this self-proclaimed Japanese-South American-style eatery.

But let’s not forget, the food is the main focus here.

Eclectic and more-ish, the dishes range from Nobu-style sashimi tacos for starters to scallops with wasabi pepper sauce for mains. The soft, almost creamy, edamame beans with rock salt and the matsuhisa shrimp with caviar are to die for.

Yet, surely, Nobu’s crowning glory is its black cod. Soft and light, the fish is served with a delicate Yuzu Miso sauce that packs a powerful punch. If there are two of you sharing, be sure to accurately divide this succulent, honey-glazed dish, as you’ll want to eat the whole thing. But as the cod is about an inch-and-a-half thick and the size of your hand, it’s more than enough for even the most ravenous diner.

The scallops for main course are so thick they’re almost like having a grilled mini burger. And the asparagus is also perfect: crunchy not soggy.

The way the food is prepared and served is the epitome of laid back. You can watch the sushi chefs working away diligently in their open-plan kitchen. Although there are only a handful – which doesn’t seem a lot considering the 200 or so people in the restaurant – they appear unflustered and as cool as the eel sushi they’re expertly preparing.

The servers are everything you’d expect from a top-quality Japanese restaurant. Waiters are immaculately dressed, very efficient and full of advice for even the most experienced sushi diner.

For the novice, even the most basic of topics is covered at the start of the meal, with waiters even enquiring politely as to diners’ allergies before they place their orders.

The restaurant does something else as well. It adds an extra dimension to the Atlantis hotel – and Dubai.
There are 19 Nobu restaurants around the world, including Moscow, Milan, Hong Kong, Waikiki and Cape Town.

Dubai has always been a sucker for glamour and exclusivity, but being a part of this unique club goes a step further, more into the realms of culinary excellence and modernity.

The place is not cheap, but even in these recessionary times the prices are not off putting. Most Dubai dwellers should, by now, be used to high (and often over-) priced food – not that Nobu falls into either of these categories when the quality of produce is considered. On a weekday the place bubbles with a healthy quantity of clientele; at the weekend, expect to book ahead for a table.

The test for Nobu Atlantis is whether it starts attracting the celebrity crowd. The Beckhams have a house on the Palm – of course for how much longer it’s not certain – after all. But it seems at this stage that this is not Nobu’s raison d’être on the island.

Dubai has enough paparazzi tackiness to last a lifetime, so let’s hope that Nobu will remain a family friendly, unpretentious haven of exquisite cuisine. The best advice for the restaurant is: more of the same, please.