Sky High Tea at Nobu Kuala Lumpur: Review

This review is brought to you, in part, by Nobu.

Habitues of high tea now have a surprising destination to add to their agenda: Nobu KL will soon start serving a sumptuous spread of unique canapes and pastries every weekend, putting the ‘high’ in high tea at the restaurant’s lustrous 56th-floor lounge.

The Sky High Tea runs every Saturday and Sunday from 23 July onward: Executive chef Philip Leong and his team have transformed the traditional high tea into an elegantly distinctive feast that remains true to Nobu’s Japanese-Peruvian gastronomic identity. Begin with the Savoury Tray, which compiles six types of canapes that taste as vibrant as they appear.

Oceanic high tea

It’s a high tea with an oceanic difference, with each creation meticulously crafted out of the sea’s bounty.

We ended up enjoying the entire ensemble – a delicate tiradito of fleshy white fish sashimi buoyed with the zing of yuzu, lemon juice, roccoto, soy salt and coriander; a spoonful of ultra-fresh minced salmon tartar in wasabi soy sauce; a cup of sushi rice crowned with ikura and shredded seaweed; deep-fried assorted crunchy seaweed crackers; warm gyoza stuffed with a luscious medley of prawns, white fish and salmon with spicy garlic paste and jalapeno dressing; and perhaps our favourite, terrifically textured sliders of juicy pan-seared shrimp made nuanced with onion tempura, mushrooms, ‘umami’ ketchup and truffle aioli sandwiched in tofu buns.

The Sweet Tray

The Sweet Tray leaves a memorably positive impression too – green tea cream puffs centred with raspberry jam; mini coffee creme brulee blanketed with Suntory whisky foam; green tea biscuits filled with yuzu cream; plump mochi with black sesame and red bean paste; and banana spring rolls with shiso leaves and dulce de leche.

Patrons can order both the savoury and sweet treats for a total of RM93 per person, or only the sweet tray for RM45 per person. The portions pictured here are for two customers.

Beverages

Beverages are also well thought-out, with a special selection of matcha and coffee concoctions for each session (2:30pm-5pm). The Nobu High Tea includes a complimentary cup of green tea, but the stakes for this indulgence can be elevated with a glass of Prosecco (RM65), or caffeinated temptations like iced and frosted mochas (RM24/RM28), as well as a milky smoothie mix of espresso with soft avocado chunks, vanilla syrup and chocolate (RM30), or a two-toned Coffee Jelly topped with rich cream (RM20).

For the green tea-themed checklist, try a layered drink of matcha with strawberry and soy milk (RM26). Service at Nobu remains as exquisite as its food, ensuring a comfortably pleasant afternoon.