Aya's 40th Birthday at Nobu Part 2...

Funny, getting a ride to Malibu in limo didn't see to take to long.  We started off with some champagne:

It was a nice day in Malibu.  We got there a bit earlier than expected and had some drinks:

We were going to get some Japanese whiskey but apparently the ports in Japan are on strike so nothing is shipping out from Japan.  We decided to go with some Macallan and the bartender hooked us up with Macallan 25 for the price of Macallan 18.

Birthday girl:

Nobu is right against the beach.  Indoor, outdoor seating.  Next time I think I would go off peak hours for lunch in the afternoon and eat outside:

Aya and I first experienced Nobu on our cruise a few years ago.  The restaurant did not disappoint.  Since it was our first time at this restaurant, we didn't know what to expect.  Should be order a la carte?  Family style?  In the end, they offered us an omakase hybrid selection.  We got to pick certain dishes we definitely wanted and then give them a separate price on other dishes based on our preference of things we like.

We had a great selection and honestly, I felt like a judge on Iron Chef.  Each item was explained with all the ingredients used.  Everything was one or two bites.  Very well presented and everything tasted great.  There wasn't one dish I didn't like.  Dinner lasted 3.5 hours...so it was a true dining experience!  Happy 40th!!