NOBU InterContinental Hong Kong continues its “ROKU-WAREKI” Japanese Gourmet Experience with Chapter 5 featuring Autumn Seasonal Set Menus with special produce from Tōhoku in Northeast Japan on Honshū, Japan's largest island, plus a special TE MANA LAMB™ dish from Executive Chef Rhys Cattermoul's native New Zealand.  

“Wareki” refers to the ancient Japanese calendar, with each solar term named and reflected by seasonal changes. Over the centuries, this calendar has been crucial for farming and fishing and as an indicator for the culinary industry when selecting seasonal ingredients. “Roku” comes from the Japanese word meaning "six".

During our 2019 Gourmet Series, NOBU InterContinental Hong Kong is integrating the “Wareki” concept into six culinary chapters. Our NOBU Chefs have found inspiration from the key dates on the “Wareki” Japanese calendar to create a series of Set Lunch and Dinner Menus, with each seasonal chapter using ingredients from a different region of Japan.

Each menu is designed not only using  seasonal produce and ingredients, but each menu also reflects the seasonal change with different cooking styles – all while infusing Nobu's signature “new style Japanese cuisine” and presentation to create an exciting gourmet exploration for NOBU guests.

6-course Lunch Menu (inclusive of a welcome mocktail): HK$888 per person
8-course Dinner Menu: HK$1,488 per person

Chapter 5: Autumn Seasonal Menus with ingredients from Tōhoku
September 16 – October 27

The Seasonal Set Menus celebrate the autumn season when the nights become longer and the weather starts to turn cooler.

Executive Chef Rhys Cattermoul is incorporating seasonal products from the autumn harvest sourced in the Tōhoku region in Northeast Japan on Honshū, Japan's largest island.  Well known for its beautiful countryside, mountains, lakes and hot springs, Tōhoku was traditionally considered the granary of Japan – supplying Sendai and the Tokyo-Yokohama markets with rice and other farming commodities. In fact, Tōhoku previously provided 20 percent of the nation's rice crop. The climate here is colder than in other parts of Honshū due to effects of the Siberian High, with only one crop a year from its rice paddies.

SEASONAL PRODUCTS showcased on the Omakase Menus include:

Seafood:
Sanma (Pacific saury) that's caught this time of year is rich with heart-healthy oils and is considered a quintessential autumn delicacy in Japan; Kanpachi (a premier member of the Amberjack family);Hokkigai (surf clams)

Vegetables / Fruit: Matsutake and Maitake (mushrooms),Taro and Tonburi (a type of edible  dried seed sometimes called “mountain caviar” due to the similarity in texture),  Kabocha Winter Squash,  Nashi Japanese Pears and Grapes.

6-course Set Lunch Menu
- HOKKIGAI New Style with Caviar
- SANMA  Shiso Salsa / KANPACHI Porcini Dry Miso
- OCTOPUS MATSUTAKE Maitake Yuzu Garlic Miso
- TE MANA LAMB™ with Gochujang(a savoury, sweet and spicy red chili paste) and Nasu (Eggplant) Purée
- EXCLUSIVE SUSHI SELECTION
- MOLTEN CHEESE TART with Grape Sorbet

8-course Set Dinner Menu
- HOKKIGAI New Style with Caviar
- SANMA Shiso Salsa / KANPACHI Porcini Dry Miso / TORO Spicy Miso
- EXCLUSIVE SUSHI SELECTION
- KING CRAB Chawamushi
- OCTOPUS MATSUTAKE  Maitake Yuzu Garlic Miso
- TE MANA LAMB™ with Gochujang and Nasu Purée
- WAGYU STONE RICE with Taro
- MOLTEN CHEESE TART with Grape Sorbet

Discover our chefs' inspiration for some of the showcased dishes:

KING CRAB Chawanmushi
Following the sashimi and sushi dishes, Executive Chef Rhys Cattermoul starts the first of his warming and flavoursome autumn dishes with his Nobu-style adaptation of chawanmushi, steamed egg custard with King Crab.

OCTOPUS MATSUTAKE Maitake Yuzu Garlic Miso
Although octopus is available year-round, the best harvest is in the autumn. Chef Rhys first grills it and then further cooks it in a sizzling hot pot with matsutake, one of his favourite seasonal ingredients. Rhys then finishes the dish with maitake miso to enhance the earthy harvest flavours.

TE MANA LAMB™ with Gochujang and Nasu Purée
A native New Zealander, Chef Rhys is excited to showcase award-winning Te Mana Lamb™ from his home country. Te Mana Lamb™ is carefully bred from a special Ram called Ram 211. It grazes freely in the New Zealand High Country with thirty days finishing on chicory pastures, followed by dry-aging for 21 days. The result is lamb that is high in omega 3 and polyunsaturated (good) fat with marbling on a micro‐scale.

WAGYU STONE RICE with Taro
Inspired by the cooler autumn season, Chef Rhys has chosen premium wagyu and earthy taro to create this hearty warming dish.

MOLTEN CHEESE TART with Grape Sorbet
To symbolise the  contrast of Hong Kong's  warm temperatures in  autumn which  is traditionally breezy and cool, Pastry Chef Joanna Yuen has created  a light and fluffy warm cheese tart  using Hokkaido cream cheese,  paired  with  refreshing homemade sorbet made with Shine Muscat grapes, for a delightful contrast of textures and temperature.

Follow our NOBU ROKU-WAREKI JAPANESE GOURMET JOURNEY as it continues throughout 2019:

Chapter 6: Winter Seasonal Menu
November 11 – December 30

Our final “Roku Wareki” Seasonal Menu is inspired by the winter frost when the weather is cold, yet the earth is not frozen enough for the snow to stick. Consequently the snow is light. All products will be sourced from the Hokkaido region.

SEASONAL PRODUCTS to be showcased on the Omakase Menus include:
Seafood: – Tajiki, Kaneda, Kinki, Shisha Mo, Acadia, Zuwaigani, Hotate, Oysters
Vegetables / Fruit: Mountain Yams, Shiitake, Ginkgo, Soybeans, Persimmon, Pears, Strawberries, and Apples

NOBU SAKE EXPERIENCE
New seasonal sake from Nobu's exclusive sake provider, Hokusetsu will be showcased with each culinary episode for a unique pairing experience.

Try NOBU's Premium Sake Pairing package:
Full Package: HK$500   Alternatively, choose any 3 out of 4: HK$400

Please add 10% service charge to all prices.

NOBU InterContinental Hong Kong is open daily for lunch from 12 noon - 2:30pm and dinner from 6:00pm - 11:00pm. 
Attire: Smart casual. The NOBU Bar lounge is open daily 12 noon-2:30pm and from 6:00pm to midnight.

NOBU InterContinental Hong Kong
Second Floor, InterContinental Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Restaurant reservations: (852) 2313-2323 / E-mail: nobuhongkong@ihg.com 

IMAGE LINKS:
Please click here for images of Episode 5 of our Roku Wareki Seasonal Set Menus with ingredients from

Please click here for images of NOBU InterContinental Hong Kong and Nobu Matsuhisa.

For further press information, please contact:

Carole L Klein
Executive Director of PR & Communications, InterContinental Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 2313 2335 / Fax: (852) 2721 5964                    
E-mail: carole.klein@ihg.com