Who says the suburbs lack good Pacific eats? Get your sushi on at one of these out-there specialists.
Southwest
Iwayama Sushi & da big kahuna bistro
Deep in the western reaches of Lakewood, this pristine sushi counter/Hawaiian eatery boasts beautiful fresh fish on both sides of the menu. Come at lunchtime for a relaxing, refreshing sushi lunch. Start with the seaweed salad, then check the board for sushi specials. Nigiri sushi comes in two-piece orders, about $4-5 per, depending on the fish you choose. (Watch for Copper River salmon this month.) At suppertime, Iwayama fills up with families taking advantage of the Family Shared Plates, big enough for a group of four. Choose rock salt steak, ginger steamed fish, crispy garlic chicken or the wild-card “Loco Kind Grindz,” the day’s special. Our favorite thing about Iwayama? The attitude, of which there is not a trace.
Iwayama Sushi & da big kahuna bistro, 5500 S. Simms St., Littleton, 303-948-1199, .
Southeast
Blue Koi Sushi
The area in and around the Southlands development at the intersection of E-470 and Smoky Hill Road is working hard to make sure that the maxim “If you build it, they will come” holds true. Blue Koi Sushi, on the west side of E-470, is doing its part, serving nice examples of straightforward sushi — and other sushi-restaurant staples like noodles and tempura — in a stylish, comfortable room. Nigiri-style sushi comes two pieces to an order, and most run about $3-$5.
Pile on the extras here, particularly the bracing, refreshing cucumber salad with rice vinegar and the so-called mushi-mushi, a savory mash of shrimp, avocado and salmon baked with mayonnaise and served on lettuce. One unexpectedly good option for sushi-phobes: the soft, flavorful charbroiled short rib. Blue Koi livens up after work with area supper- and sake-seekers.
Blue Koi Sushi, 6020 S. Gun Club Road, Aurora, 303-766-5886.
North
Sushi Yoshi
Sure, it’s squished into a sliver of a shopping area at the edge of a SuperTarget parking lot, where the focus is heavy on the pre-K set. But the authentic Japanese cuisine served at Sushi Yoshi isn’t kid stuff. Messy mash-ups sauced and spiced for the American palate would violate the delicate sensibilities of Osaka-trained master chef Yoshi Shiuchi, who spent 16 years as a partner in the beloved Sushi Tora in Boulder. Go for lunch and order a sashimi combo of expertly sliced fish. Try the sansi salad, a glorious knot of wild greens and mushrooms. Choose a seasonal roll from the specials menu. Revel in what Shiuchi does best: transmitting the essence of Japanese cuisine to your plate.
Sushi Yoshi, 406 Center Drive, Superior, 720-304-0300, .
