Up Close With Chef Hervé Courtot At Nobu Kuala Lumpur

From now until July 7, Chef Hervé Courtot, chef de cuisine of Nobu Dubai, graces the kitchen of Nobu Kuala Lumpur. Managing eight Nobu franchises across the world that includes Moscow, Cape Town, and Monte Carlo, Chef Hervé is no stranger to exotic ingredients and crafting his menu to cater to local tastes. I walked through the doors on the 56th floor of the Petronas Tower on a Wednesday afternoon, high on expectations and needless to say, left a happy Nobu diner—once again.

Caviar, Potato, Wasabi (Image: Andrew Foo)

An unconventional take

After the lunch, I was convinced that caviar and mash potatoes are a winner combination. Black and gold Swarovski crystals sparkle on the cover, hinting at an exciting affair. Peel open the box, and overflowing beads of caviar atop a bed of mashed potatoes prove to be a feast for the eyes, glistening under the light. Supplemented with a hint of fresh wasabi, every bite is creamy and light.

Salmon Tataki with Black Sesame Dressing and Jalapeño Jelly (Image: Nobu KL)

Looks can be deceiving …

… with the plate of Salmon Tataki with Black Sesame and Jalapeño Jelly. Intense in flavour, the black sesame dressing adds a touch of earthiness and nuttiness to the dish, complementing the smooth, buttery slices of salmon. The generous sprinkling of jalapeño jelly helps to keep the dish bright, cutting through the velvety layers of black sesame.

Konbu Tacos with Miso Dry Beef and Ikura (Image: Andrew Foo)

Hard shell taco, reinterpreted

Konbu tacos, that is. And not forgetting the beef dry miso and ikura that brought the dish to higher levels of umami. A dish that’s more on the savoury side, the use of deep-fried konbu as the taco shell was a smart attempt. Served in bite-sized portions, every crispy bite of konbu and juiciness of beef and scallops had me yearning for second portions.

Chilean Seabass Yuzu White Chocolate Sauce (Image: Nobu KL)

Sweet and sour takes a new form

The Chilean Seabass comes with Yuzu white chocolate sauce, which isn’t something you see everyday for sure. At this point, it is evident that Chef Hervé loves experimenting with contrasting ingredients to create unique flavours. The delicate sea bass fillet is cooked to perfection, and flakes off effortlessly with the touch of my fork, while the sauce of Yuzu and white chocolate strike a balance of sweet and tangy.