One of the best-known signatures of Nobu Matsuhisa is the lunchtime bento box that is served in every one of his restaurants. In Beijing, it is the restaurant's best sellers. It is also Nobu's cooking style neatly encapsulated in five lacquer-box compartments.

Sauteed seasonal vegetables with ginger teriyaki sauce. This is a tasty mix of the best vegetables from the local markets, reflecting Nobu's belief that you have to support local produce. In this case, it included green asparagus spears, kumara batons, French beans, yellow zucchini, day lily buds, broccoli florets and mushrooms.

Black cod saikyo yaki. This is Nobu's signature black cod in a miso marinade, and a throwback to the cuisine upon which he builds his foundation. Excess water in the black cod is drawn out through the long marinating, leaving a texture with more bite, a sharpness accentuated by the sting of the salty miso.

Rock shrimp tempura in creamy spicy sauce. This is popcorn shrimp given a bare coating of sauce that is both creamy and spicy at the same time. A definite move toward fusion that marries Japanese deep-frying techniques with an unmistakably Western presentation.

Tuna tataki sashimi with Nobu's special dressing. Nobu believes in using the best fresh tuna, blue-fin tuna. And to appease the environment activists, the menu has a disclaimer telling you exactly what you are eating. This is tender tuna seared on the outside but still raw inside, served with Nobu's soy and onion-based dressing, on a bed of salad greens.

The final compartment is the chef's selection of maki and sushi, to round off a balanced meal in a box. And it makes sure you don't forget you are eating at Nobu's.