What oil does Nobu fry in?
Nobu cooks with Deep-fries tempura items, most notably the signature rock shrimp tempura and vegetable tempura, in generic "vegetable oil" per Nobu's own official recipe (exact type/blend not specified). Sauces like the tempura's creamy spicy sauce use grapeseed oil by name. (assumed from industry norms, not confirmed by the chain).
The 5 cleanest things to order at Nobu
Learn this once: a salad with grilled protein and the dressing left off is nearly always the lowest seed oil order anywhere. So the list below sticks to real meals, salads included, never just a water.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Assorted Nigiri | 1.0g |
| Toro Tartare with Caviar | 2.0g |
| Salmon Tartare with Caviar | 2.0g |
| Fluke Dry Miso | 2.0g |
| Salmon Dry Miso | 2.0g |
Lower PUFA is cleaner. These are estimates from published nutrition data and disclosed oils; preparation varies by location.
Why the frying oil matters
Most fast-food chains fry in seed oils like soybean, canola, corn, or a blend of them, which are high in polyunsaturated fat (PUFA). A handful still use beef tallow or other stable fats, which are far lower in PUFA. The oil a kitchen fries in is the single biggest driver of how much seed oil ends up on your plate. See the full breakdown on the Nobu report card, or where it lands on the Seed Oil Index.
Frequently asked
Does Nobu use beef tallow?
No. Nobu cooks with Deep-fries tempura items, most notably the signature rock shrimp tempura and vegetable tempura, in generic "vegetable oil" per Nobu's own official recipe (exact type/blend not specified). Sauces like the tempura's creamy spicy sauce use grapeseed oil by name. (assumed from industry norms, not confirmed by the chain), not beef tallow. See which chains fry in real fats on Tallow Watch.