Another thing I found somewhat annoying was all of the Hollywood name-dropping the book is peppered with. I don't really care which celebrities have dined in the various Nobu restaurants, nor do I care what their favorite dishes are. The fact that Nobu once made lunch for Princess Di was equally unimportant to me. The thing I really appreciated was learning more about the quality and "kokoro" (heart) that goes into some of the dishes I've enjoyed at Matsuhisa. The book definitely inspired me to go and eat there again soon!

20 of 20 found the following review helpful:

Model of the excellent coffee table cookbook.  Oct 29, 2005
By B. Marold "Bruce W. Marold"
'nobu THE cookbook' by Nobuyuki Matsuhisa is Nobu's first cookbook and as he has a new title on the bookstands now, I thought it was high time I got around to reviewing it.

For starters, I must say I rank photographic flash way down on my list of criteria for a good cookbook. I have very little use for cookbooks used to grace a coffee table, since I have no coffee table. So, If impressive looking cookbooks from famous chefs is your cup of tea, then this is an excellent book. Otherwise, it doesn't do a lot for me.

For starters, while the book deals almost exclusively with fish cookery and raw fish dishes, the introductory material on techniques, especially knife techniques is pretty thin. The story on sushi prep is that it takes years to learn everything you need to know about good knife techniques, and we are given but a half a page without even some pictures of the types of knives used in the three techniques described.

I will say that most of the recipes are relatively simple, as long as you have the right skills, but the ingredients for a lot of the dishes are somewhere between difficult and impossible to find. The poster boy for this state of affairs is abalone. Throughout my whole life, I have never seen fresh abalone available on the east coast fishmonger's counter. Now, I suspect this Pacific shellfish is endangered almost to the point of extinction. But, as Bob Kinkaid so eloquently says in his cookbook, high end restaurants can get things which are simply beyond the reach of the average shopper.

If this were a book on classic Japanese cookery, I would have a higher opinion of it, but it is a song to the virtues of Nobu Matsuhisa. It is a very pretty song, well graced with paeons from business partner Robert DeNiro, best bud, Martha Stewart, and about twenty testimonial blurbs from the culinary greats.

If your thing is good books on and about celebrity chefs, buy this book. But, if your interest is Japanese cooking in general, start with Shizuo Tsuji's 'Japanese Cooking, A Simple Art'.

20 of 21 found the following review helpful:

Great food, but labor intensive  Nov 06, 2002

While many of the recipes we have tried from this book have produced excellent results, it is not for the novice nor for the cook who cannot find exotic ingredients. We live in the San Francisco Bay area and must make special trips to the Asian seafood markets because the local grocer, although high-end, does not carry the exotic varieties of fish and shellfish that he uses. He does not offer suggestions for substitutions.
The food is very good, but you can tell that this is definitely a vanity cookbook. I don't think most home chefs could use this book - it is definitely for the obsessive foodie who would go to any lengths to prepare his recipes. Good for special occasions or for those who have a lot of time and resources for foods.

16 of 17 found the following review helpful:

Readable and useful  Nov 04, 2001

After sampling a variety of creations at Nobu-London, I was thrilled to receive this cookbook. However, in the hours between receiving it and reading it, I pondered the seemingly inevitable: I thought I'd be let down, and would discover a shallow book assembled by the Nobu marketing staff.

My passing qualms were misplaced, and I couldn't be more pleased. The writing is lucid, the book readable, the advice welcome and reasonable, the recipes clear, and the range of dishes exciting. Already, I've made 2 superb appetizers, and have a main course marinating in the fridge. Other dishes are to come. My spouse, a non-sushi-eater until a few years ago, has glowed about the dishes sampled thus far, and is anticipating many more soon.

This is not anybody's main cookbook (or even in the main set), but should accessorize any amateur chef's collection when in the mood for fusion food and inspired/inspiring combinations.

12 of 12 found the following review helpful:

Into the mind of a Genius  Feb 19, 2003
By the_enchanted_monk
I am a big fan of Nobu's art; a miraculously simple, yet greatly inventive Japanese-Peruvian cuisine.
This book gives a representative sample of what Nobu's is capable of.
- RECIPES: step-by-step, easy to follow, and do not require sophisticated equipment. The pictures are nice and self-explanatory. In fact, Nobu's trademark dishes (New Style Sashimi, Tiraditos and Ceviches) are quite easy to reproduce with little effort or time. The only reason why I did not give this book a perfect mark is that I felt some sauces missed the mark, as if they were lacking an ingredient (my Matsuhisa Dressing trials greatly differ from the one I tasted in Nobu's restaurants). Plus, on rare occasions, the editor fails to specify which type of vegetable oils must be used (ex: in the spicy creamy sauce).
- INGREDIENTS: many are easy to find in North America. Some are almost impossible to acquire if you do not live in a major city (for example Maui onions, sansho, etc.). Nevertheless, most of these ingredients can be successfully substituted with more common ingredients; for example, Menegi for Chives, Yuzu for lemon and lime juice, Monkfish liver for Duck or Goose Foie Gras, and so on.

Like other viewers, I couldn't care less if Kenny G., Gandhi or Rasputin have been Nobu's clients. Nevertheless, I highly recommend this book for all novice cooks and food lovers.

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