Everyone in Denver recommends Sushi Den as the best sushi in town. So when I had an opportunity to tag along with my engineer friend, who was getting treated by his vendors, I absolutely hopped on that train. And didn't even feel bad about it. Who says there's no such thing as a free meal?
The dinner was ridiculous; it was like a Sushi Thanksgiving, if the Japanese have a holiday equivalent. The waiter kept on bringing out plates beyond plates of Omega 3's, pricey bottles of Saki (that I was even a fan of) and Cakebread wine (heart). It was mostly sashimi and small sushi plates, but we also tried an order of a roll or two. Everything was fan-flippin-tastic, but there were a few notable standouts.
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| Sake friendly for non-sake drinkers |
The progression of the taste and presumably the quality of the fish escalated, probably due to both the intention of the chef and the increased intake of Cakebread/Saki. One positive outlier was the Broiled Cod, which could easily be mistaken for a dessert. It had a sweet demi-glaze crust, indicating flavors of butter and brown sugar delectable-ness. As far as fresh-and-melt-in-your-mouth-superstars go, the Albacore Tuna, Red Snapper, Copper River Salmon, and the Blue Fin Toro & Akami Tuna, all took the cake. I was further inquisitive about where they had their fish shipped from, since the place is located in land-locked Denver, after all. The waiter knew his stuff and I was impressed by their selectivity. They took special care to ensure the fish was chosen from the best regions and seasons, with respect to the fish.
Moving on to the 8th or 10th course that consisted of some specialty rolls, we went with the Red Dragon Roll and The Tuna Firecroacker Roll...bring on that Texas heat! The Tuna Firecracker Roll was a drastic improvement as far as the heat goes, but they were both equally fresh and of substantial portion.
Wrapping up with our Thanksgiving holiday in June, we had some classy after dinner drinks - Saki Bombs (and when I say we, I mean some more than others), as well as the Fried Banana Tempura dessert. I would stick with after dinner drinks next time. The batter was too thick on the 'naner and bland. I'm far too spoiled from my New Orleans Brennan's Banana Foster.
I noted that the other integral element of a great dining experience, the service, was good overall. He wasn't a super star, but was knowledgeable and patient, provided the yahoos at our table. I could care less for the décor, however. The bench seats were adorned with some garish upholstery, and the invidual seats resembled something found in a cafeteria. The exposed piping and the extra large fan attempted to spruce it up, but I was still unimpressed.
Sushi Den did the job for my weekly sushi fix and is, to date, the best I've had in Denver. BUT (a big but), Uchi in Austin and Houston still reign king. Hands down. Duh.
Check it out: http://sushiden.net/about-us-2/
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