Nobu West

Though recreating some of the heavenly dishes from this cookbook is not without its hazards-try finding ingredients like nigari, the concentrated remains from the ""crystallization of salt from seawater,"" at your local grocery store-never mind the hassle: the recipes in this cookbook are so seductive they're almost worth buying a pizza oven, cream gun or Japanese omelet pan for. Take Grilled Sea Trout With Fried Spinach, a two-person operation that combines spicy flash-broiled fish with delicate leaves of tempura spinach; tricky business, to be sure, but the end product is irresistibly moist, crunchy and flavorful. Fish And Chips, Nobu-Style turns the British classic into a crispy cod-and-potato terrine, served alongside traditional malt vinegar. The result is so addictive, it's easy to justify the two days of work. Vegetarians are well served, too, especially by a simple pan of Wood-Roasted Vegetables, wonderful even when baked in a conventional oven instead of over wood. The beautifully designed book is equipped with a glossary of unusual foods and techniques and a small treasury of easy-to-prepare Japanese sauces. Shimmering photographs make even the most complicated recipes seem worth trying-especially for adventurous cooks, and those without the patience to wait for a Nobu reservation.