Food For Thought
NABU
American Fusion- Buffet and Sushi
It is always such a pleasure to have the opportunity to try a new restaurant for our Food For Thought column, and NABU was no exception to that rule. The Japanese buffet and American fusion restaurant is an updated version of Kyojin, but the food quality and selection has definitely upgraded now that the restaurant is under new ownership and management. My colleague Troy and I had a chance to stop in on a recent lunch outing and we both left with full bellies and made plans to come back soon to try it for dinner. When we got back to the office to brag, we easily convinced our co-worker Maria to try it out, and she went that very night. Upon follow up, she joined our sentiments in highly recommending the place to anyone who is a lover of seafood.
Troy and I were ushered to our table by our waitress who jotted down our drink orders and welcomed us to get started. Nabu features 3 full length buffet tables that feature everything from seaweed salad to a fully stocked hibachi grill. One table features salads and desserts, another features hot items and soups, and the main buffet line features a huge variety of maki (rolls like Volcano rolls and California Rolls) and nigari (pieces of fish over a ball of rice) as well the grill which features Picanha, a Brazilian cut of sirloin tip, sausages, and chicken, as well as fresh veggies that are cooked to order.
For my first go round, I started off with the aforementioned seaweed salad which is seasoned with sesame oil and topped with a few sesame seeds for garnish. I also stocked up on tempura style veggies, a piece of teriyaki chicken on a stick and a few pieces of tuna nigiri that were delish. I also hit up the soup station and had a delicious hot bowl of hot and sour soup over rice noodles. There are three other types of soup offered daily including Chinese favorites like wonton and egg drop soup as well as the quintessential Japanese miso soup.
For my second helping, I tried a piece of the picanha, a few more pieces of tuna nigiri, salmon avocado roll, spicy tuna roll, volcano roll, and California roll. The wasabi paste and ginger are also presented on the buffet so you can help yourself to as much or as little as you want. Don’t miss out on the extra sauces like spicy siracha mayo , eel sauce, and sesame dressing. Each one is better than the one before and all are great for dipping and trying new flavors.
Troy and I both made sure to save room for dessert. Nabu offers a wide variety of sweet treats like Napoleon, tres leches cake, jello, pudding, and much more. There is even a hot chocolate fondue fountain that you can dip marshmallows or pieces of fruit in. After a cookie and a piece of Napoleon, I wanted more, but remembered that I had to go back to work so I didn’t make myself miserable. I just had to tell myself there’s always next time. (The fat kid inside me didn’t want to hear it though!!)
Nabu is located at 3485 N. Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale. (Just north of Oakland Park Blvd intersection). The lunch buffet is only $11.95 and for dinner, where the offer crab legs and even fresh lobster sometimes, is $18.95. Definitely one of the best deals in town for Japanese food. Stop in, fill up, and tell them Hotspots sent you.
