It’s not everyday one leaves a meal feeling nourished to the soul, with the afterglow of each plate lingering long after the last bite; at the Michelin-starred Nouri, you just might. The gastronomic journey begins after a thoughtful handwashing ritual, followed by an ensemble of hors d’oeuvres, including shanklish, an aged Levantine cheese made from yoghurt encased in a fragrant Georgian herb paste. Every morsel is a discovery, not least of all the vibrant carrot butter which accompanies the rustic rye sourdough.
The deceptively simple Narezushi, a precursor to the modern Japanese sushi, exemplifies Brehm’s Crossroads Cooking philosophy of uncovering shared food histories. It nods to Edomae-style sushi while tracing its roots to Southeast Asia, where it was originally conceived as a method of preservation. His rendition is as indulgent as it is complex, layering bluefin tuna and ginger flower on cultured rice cake, laced with Cambodian fish paste prahok and topped with Oscietra caviar. And the Barbarian’s Head, a dish that looks like star-shaped ravioli, is actually Turkic dumplings in beef consommé. Rich and savoury, it’s paired with a delicate jambú flower which elicits a mouth-numbing tingle.
Head Sommelier Nicole Roche matches each course with equally compelling pours, from a rich Chardonnay from Ningxia, China to the Heavensake Label Noir Junmai Daiginjo. Fittingly, the journey’s end is marked with a savoury dessert – an audacious blend of chocolate sorbet, ikan bilis, wild pepper leaf and colatura di alici that, like Nouri itself, defies expectations.
