Luxurious Japanese Dining: Our Review Of Nobu Portman Square In Marylebone

Nobu is one of those restaurants that everyone’s heard of; founded in 1994 by world-renowned chef Nobu Matsuhisa, Hollywood legend Robert de Niro and famed film producer Meir Teper, this brand now owns 56 restaurants globally, including 3 in London alone. A visit to one of these esteemed Japanese fine dining eateries has been on my dining bucket list for some time, so when the chance to check out Nobu Portman Square in Marylebone came up, I couldn’t wait to find out what all the fuss was about.

You can't deny that this Nobu restaurant in London has style.

DesignMyNight Review Of Nobu Portman Square

As the restaurant is nestled within the heart of the Nobu Hotel in Marylebone, you can bet it exuded trendy elegance from the second we stepped into the foyer. After giving our names to the hostess, we were guided upstairs to the expansive restaurant lined with huge windows paired with geometric detailing, which nodded to the restaurant's Japanese roots. Featuring cool metallic tones from the seating to the textured ceilings, with marble-effect tables and mellow house music thumping gently in the background, it had a cool, upmarket vibe.

To quench our thirst, we ordered a bottle of Whispering Angel rosé (£90), as recommended by our waiter to suit both the fish and red meat plates we were about to gobble down. It was refreshing and light with an edge of floral sweetness. Our first dish to arrive was the yellow tail tartare with caviar (£29.50). The perfect cylinder of fatty, rich fish melted in our mouths, elevated by a perfectly balanced sauce with hints of tangy wasabi and umami soy sauce, topped with a generous disc of caviar that popped deliciously in our mouths. 

We thoroughly enjoyed all our dishes from the Nobu Portman Square menu.

Our next dish was the sashimi salad with Matsuhisa dressing (£26) – a delicately seared slice of high-quality raw tuna came accompanied by a rich dressing with notes of soft fried onions, soy and vinegar, providing the ideal pairing for the handful of mixed leaves on the side. Next up, we delved into a few pieces of nigiri: toro (£9 each), shrimp (£7) and salmon (£7.50). Each bite brought buckets of fresh flavour, with toppings of roe and spicy mayo. After devouring these, we then both tucked into a piece of black cod miso (£53 each), which was soft, succulent and juicy, with a gorgeously crispy bottom and a light sweet miso glaze. Then came our final dish, the beef toban yaki (£34 each), a steaming hot pot that arrived bubbling, filled with juicy medium rare steak, a range of mushrooms and an indulgent buttery sauce.

Nobu Portman Square: Overall

I came to Nobu Portman Square with my partner and, I have to say, it was absolutely perfect for our date night. Not only was it a fantastic opportunity to finally visit one of this brand's eateries, but we also thoroughly enjoyed all of our dishes. Though at times the service was a little slow, this came down to the fact that we were in one of the hottest restaurants in London - and the kindness of the staff more than made up for it. If you fancy a little Japanese luxury, then make sure to give this spot a visit.

Discover more of the best Japanese restaurants in London with our guide and sign up to our newsletter for all the latest.