Las Vegas is the home of reinvention. Properties constantly revisit their offerings to accommodate the tastes of visitors with the hopes they’ll return again and again. But even in the ever-changing Vegas restaurant landscape, there are fixtures that remain timeless; included in those ranks is Nobu at the Hard Rock Hotel.

Nobu has been entertaining guests with its Asian fusion for almost two decades but the experience remains so fresh, it might’ve opened just yesterday. While another location opened at Caesars Palace last year, the original remains as strong as ever under the steady guidance of general manager George Lipson with executive chef Frank Gorriceta infusing Pan-Asian influences into every dish.

Begin your experience with the duo of spicy edamame and shishito peppers. The former are sautéed in clarified butter and finished with chili garlic paste and crushed candied pecans, while the latter delivers grilled peppers garnished in a balsamic/garlic sauce adorned with garlic chips. Each awakens the palate for what awaits.

Nobu has a number of classics, including the yellowtail sashimi with jalapeño. Thinly sliced Pacific hamachi is served with garlic purée, serrano pepper slices, yuzu (Japanese citrus) soy and cilantro—the result is a light, crisp dish with a hint of heat.

Another staple is the black cod miso on butter lettuce. Alaskan black cod medallions are broiled and glazed in a miso sauce, nestled inside butter lettuce cups and finished with a matrix of kataifi (Greek pastry dough). The slightly sweet, buttery fish is so tender it practically falls apart, while the kataifi contributes a hint of crunch for contrast. It’s a classic for a reason.

And then there are the dishes destined to become classics, such as toro carpaccio, which is the essence of decadence. Fatty tuna belly arrives in a tamari truffle sauce with dollops of sharp yuzu tofu cream and layers of mache lettuce. Finished with white truffle shavings, the dish combines multiple levels of umami while seamlessly melding undertones of salty and sweet with the unctuous tuna. It is simply remarkable.

Equally as noteworthy is the salmon nashi pear. Chinese pear is accompanied by salmon and finished with olive oil, yuzu juice, micro greens, truffle oil and Nobu’s own dry miso flakes. Here, sweet segues to citric and earthiness with each bite in a textbook example of flavor balance where, ultimately, each one complements the other.

Not all Nobu offerings come from the sea. The kohlrabi salad combines the julienned root vegetable with Parmesan, dry miso flakes, crispy leeks, yuzu juice and truffle oil for a myriad of textures and tastes. And hearts of palm dry miso showcases sautéed julienned hearts of palm with garlic, olive oil and dried chili for a hint of heat. The noodle-like dish is finished with dry miso flakes.

Nobu offers up intriguing, unanticipated treats to finish your meal. Horchata flan showcases a fusion of cuisines with the cinnamon-infused custard atop a chicha morada (Peruvian corn drink) reduction for varying levels of sweetness. And Nobu’s rendition of the Hawaiian favorite shaved ice combines the fresh fruit flavors of coconut, lychee and mixed berries atop cucumber-infused shaved ice with cantaloupe sorbet.

Like an old friend, Nobu is inviting and comfortable no matter how long you’ve been away. And your friends are awaiting your return, so why delay?

Hard Rock Hotel, 6-10:30 p.m. Sun.-Thurs., 6-11 p.m. Fri.-Sat. 702.693.5090