Nobori – to climb up – is a fitting name, given you have to ascend a flight of stairs to find this somewhat hidden Japanese restaurant. Nobori was once Orita’s, but has since undergone a rebrand and a renewal of the menu, thanks to the skills of the head chef who hails from Japan.

The menu has a mix of traditional and fusion Japanese. On the traditional side, their sushi and sashimi platters are an impressive sight, arranged with an assortment of seafood including surf clam, scampi, salmon, tuna and scallops.

We move on to the super smooth chawanmushi, which is normally part of the set dinner menu. Other highlights include the soft, silky and tangy Nasu Dengaku and the charred Sliced Grilled Ox Tongue.

Duckling Saikyouyaki is grilled duck breast marinated in special miso. The meat is a tad dry on this occasion, but the sweet miso sauce is flavourful. The Wagyu Loin is an absolute delight. The grilled loin strips are cooked to medium, and the marble score 7 wagyu is smooth, incredibly tender and possesses all of that fatty texture and flavour we love about wagyu.

The Nobori Cheese Cake is a Japanese-style cheese cake that comes with a buttery biscuit base. Its texture isn’t quite light, being more like a regular cheesecake, but it’s still a solid dessert. We then try one of the best matcha panna cotta we’ve ever had. There’s a strong matcha flavour, and the flavours are well balanced – not too bitter, not too sweet – it’s definitely one to try.

Nobori has only been open for a month, so there is plenty of potential for it to grow. Pop in during warmer weather to enjoy lunch and dinner on balcony!

Disclaimer: I was invited to Nobori as a guest, however, opinions expressed here are purely my own, and are based on my experience at the time

Nobori Japanese Restaurant
34 Jackson St
Toorak, VIC, 3142
(03) 9826 2111
http://nobori.com.au/