Disappointing experience against expectation.

It's one of those places everyone has heard of, everyone wants to go to and most are busy looking to see who else is there. The service sadly seems to treat customers as though they should be grateful for being there. Of course, we are grateful for being fortunate enough to be able to be there, but that's not the point.

The downstairs bar is cavernous and lacks atmosphere until busy. It's a good place to be, though, and worth taking some drinks there. The restaurant is upstairs and is laid out with a large are with a narrower branch. It's hard to get the table you really want unless you're someone the staff recognise. The menu is good and extensive – that new-Japanese style, which is supposed to have a Peruvian hint, though that's hard to spot and seems slightly at odds with Japanese anyway.

The food is delivered quickly – perhaps a little too quickly, but with these rents and running costs, turning tables is important for them. The food was good, but not up to some of the high standards set by Nobu's competition. One dish was particularly excellent – pork belly with ponzu. Have that if you go. You won't be disappointed.

All in all, it was pleasant, but disappointing. I expect more from Nobu and my feeling is that it's had its day. It's still a bit of a celeb haunt, so that will bring in the voyeurs with it. Do it and make up your own mind.

A note: On my last visit, though, we were both caught out badly by what we believe to be food poisening. On reporting this, a slightly uninterested process kicked in with an external food safety company doing the investigation. Unfirtunately, because we'd been able to get to a doctor easily for tests, there was no evidence we could present and we were told they saw no proof and they're very clean anyway, etc., etc. No actual apology. As it was all we'd eaten for some time and had both suffered badly, it's pretty obvious to me. The process was sadly very disappointing and lacked interest… More