Sushi Sasa

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2401 15th St. Denver, CO 80202

303-433-7272

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Critics'
Pick
Best Expense-Account Dinner
Award Winner 2012

Cuisine(s): Japanese, Sushi

Hours: Mon-Sat 11:30am-2:30pm, Fri-Sat 5pm-11:30pm, Sun-Thu 5pm-10:30pm

Price: $$$
Payment Types: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, cash, ATM/Debit

Features: Patio/Sidewalk Dining, Takeout, Private Party, Catering, Vegetarian Friendly

Serving: Dinner, Late Night, Lunch
Alcohol: Full bar

Reservations: Accepted, Highly Recommended

Parking: Street

Description

"Kokoro bebop" -- that's what chef Wayne Conwell's doing at the very hip, ultra-modern Sushi Sasa. "Kokoro" from the heart of traditional Japanese culture, "bebop" from his tendency to riff on and reinterpret Japanese soul food. More than that, he's adding to the canon of Japanese cuisine, bringing in the influences of Italian and French food, as well as an intimate understanding of American tastes. The menu is fusion without being fusion, new but classic -- and all of the sushi is superb. Bring the gold card and don't forget to make reservations.

2012 | Best Expense-Account Dinner

There are many places in town that disprove the notion that you have to be on one of the coasts to enjoy good sushi -- and Wayne Conwell's stylish spot makes the most convincing argument of all. This restaurant between LoDo and LoHi doesn't just serve raw fish, though; it features Conwell's inventive take on the new-style Japanese cooking he learned under Iron Chef Morimoto. His dishes also show the influences of Italy and France, and his imaginative omakase menus regularly serve up... More »
2011 | Best Sushi Restaurant

It's been six years since Wayne Conwell opened Sushi Sasa, bringing to Denver the new-style Japanese cuisine he'd learned under Iron Chef Morimoto. Six years of dishes punched up with the influences of Italy and France, six years of stellar fish, six years of imaginative omakase menus exploring the best Japanese cuisine the city has to offer. Six years of Conwell staying spot-on in his execution of everything from tenderloin to toro. But last year, Sushi Sasa gave us even more reason to love... More »
2010 | Best Expense-Account Lunch

There's nothing cheap about Sushi Sasa, the elegant -- and expanding -- sushi restaurant at the edge of downtown. Not the toned and tony clientele, the kind of customers who never bobble their chopsticks, stab their toro or dip their rice into the dish of soy sauce. And not the raw fish, not the Chilean sea bass steamed in a salty black bean sauce, not the seared tuna tataki on a jungle of greens, not the freshly grated wasabi, and certainly not the scene-stealing omakase, a $40... More »
2009 | Best Sushi Restaurant

At Sushi Sasa, the attention to detail makes all the difference. There's no need here for plastic grass garnishes, lumps of fake wasabi, bias-cut plating or two dozen stupidly named rolls that are all tuna, avocado, cucumber and tobiko. At Sushi Sasa, even the simplest tekka maki is a work of art, lavished with the kind of attention that other places don't even give to expensive rolls. Everything about the space is clean and white and spare, and everything about the kitchen is geared toward... More »
2008 | Best Sushi Restaurant

Sushi Sasa seemed perfect the minute it opened. Odd, then, that it seems to only get better. Or maybe not, because chef/owner Wayne Conwell is the sort of person who strives to best even himself. From the gorgeous white-on-white dining room (which is usually packed) to the sushi bar at the back and the product of the cooks working behind it, nothing here is less than coolly and confidently excellent. Though not entirely traditional, the menu is firmly grounded in the years of classical... More »
2007 | Best Tasting Menu

At Sushi Sasa, chef Wayne Conwell and his crew make great sushi. Since Conwell served a very old-style apprenticeship among some of the modern masters of the craft, that's a given. But it's with his omakase menus -- personalized, multi-course tastings -- that he truly shows the depth and breadth of his skill. With this sudden freedom from the constraints of tradition comes an honesty and a sense of potential that can be stunning. From the simplest riffs on hand rolls to the over-the-top... More »
2007 | Best Sushi Restaurant

At Sushi Sasa, a meal isn't just about the food, it's about the whole experience of dining. With its white-on-white decor, attentive servers, jewel-box space (with an overflow bar and lounge downstairs) and a menu that stretches the idea of nouvelle Japanese beyond just the over-played tricks of torch-seared salmon skin and sushi-with-sauce, dinner here is a true adventure. And with a chef as skilled as Wayne Conwell running the show, it's an adventure that will always leave you wanting more. More »
2006 | BEST TASTING MENU

Omakase. That's the magic word at Sushi Sasa: Cook for me. When you say this at the sushi bar, you free chef Wayne Conwell or a member of his talented crew to assemble a unique, adventurous, individual feast (priced at $60, $80 or $120, depending on the number of courses). And once the food arrives, there's no doubt that you're in the hands of a master displaying both classical chops and a wild flood of creativity. Dinner one night could be a pyramid of inside-out and right-side-in maki... More »
2006 | BEST SUSHI RESTAURANT

Wayne Conwell, the chef/owner of Sushi Sasa, is a man obsessed with details. From the precise alignment of a piece of fish on a plate to the shape of a hundred different hand rolls, nothing is too small to warrant his attention. And from his post behind the sushi bar at Sushi Sasa -- his white-on-white-on-white dream of what a great restaurant can be -- no detail escapes him. Conwell sees everyone who comes through the door, sees every plate that passes out of the kitchen, sees the surprised... More »

Denver's ten best vegetarian dishes in non-vegetarian restaurants

By Amber Taufen | Thu, March 29, 2012

Picking the Best Vegetarian Dish in a Non-Vegetarian Restaurant for the Best of Denver 2012 was a tough task. The owners of omnivorous restaurants have really gone above and beyond lately to cater to... More »
Sushi Sasa rolls out vegetarian and vegan delights

By Amber Taufen | Tue, November 29, 2011

When we saw that Robin Bar-on of Udi's -- who cooks up a pretty fine vegan spread herself -- thought Sushi Sasa's chef, Wayne Conwell, is a culinary genius, we knew we had to check out the veggie roll... More »
Reader: If only I could afford to eat at Sushi Sasa more often!

By Patricia Calhoun | Thu, May 12, 2011

In this week's Chef and Tell interview, Lori Midson talks with Wayne Conwell, owner/chef of Sushi Sasa, which opened in the summer of 2005 just off Platte Street, a pioneer in what would soon grow int... More »
No omakase, but Sushi Sasa server delivers great off-the-menu dish

By Laura Shunk | Tue, July 13, 2010

I wanted to pout last night when my server at Sushi Sasa, 2401 15th Street, told me omakase, the chef's tasting menu, was unavailable. His excuse: the chef is currently in Japan, and apparently no one... More »
Sushi Sasa's expanded dining room is open for business

By Laura Shunk | Fri, June 25, 2010

Early this year Sushi Sasa, the wildly popular sushi joint at 2401 15th Street, took over the vacated Wilderness Exchange spot next door, with plans to double the size of the dining room, adding 70 se... More »
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chi2soul | 1 Reviews

| Mon, March 5, 2012

It was my friends birthday 3/2/2012 this was the worst service I have ever received. Waiter was rude trying to hurry us up, he kept coming back telling us you have 45 minutes, come back again you have 30 minutes, now you have 15 minutes. It would have been nice to ask our party of 12 we wanted more drinks or how was the food or did we need anything else. I will NEVER go back there again! I will go back to Sushi Den where I can get friendly and polite services. This fool did not deserve any gratuity. Perhaps we were too loud enjoying each others company or perhaps they don't care for people of different cultures and ethic backgrounds.
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rustin1 | Denver, CO | 13 Reviews

| Thu, November 19, 2009

Ask for Johnny...at the dowstrairs bar Brodie is killing it at the waitstaff
Like (0) Dislike (0)

likemestephen | Denver, CO | 44 Reviews

| Mon, November 23, 2009

Sit downstairs and harass Johnny the bartender.
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Dinner Menu

Otsumami Appetizers (japanese Tapas) - Hot

$10.50

Sauteed Calamari
sauteed calamari in sake garlic butter soy or korean style spicy kochijan sauce with seasonable vegetables

$12.00

Saffron Marinara Mussels
served with taro and sweet potato crisps

$16.95

Tara Saikyo And Yuan
miso and sweet soy grilled black cod broiled to perfection

$20.00

Chilean Sea Bass
steamed in black bean sauce and sake or miso pesto and truffle seaweed vinaigrette then topped with ginger and scallions and seared with hot oils

$18.00

Maple Leaf Farms Duck Breast
plum and miso glazed duck breast served with foie gras risotto

$17.00

Angus Choice Tenderloin
grilled then broiled in uni wasabi butter

$16.00

Gyu No Tataki
thinly sliced rare beef served with a spicy ponzu sauce

Pork, Chicken, Or Salmon $8.00
Beef Tenderloin $9.50

Kushikatsu
(served two pieces per order) breaded deep fried japanese skewers served with homemade tonkatsu sauce and japanese onion mayo

$8.00

Kushiyaki
(served two pieces per order) grilled japanese skewers of chicken, beef, or salmon with your choice of teriyaki or house-blended epice spice

$7.00

Tatsutaage
japanese deep fried chicken served with ponzu and spices

$60.00
$80.00
$100.00

Omakase
a multi-course chef’s choice tasting menu specially designed to give you a well-rounded understanding of our truly unique cuisine

Otsumami Appetizers (japanese Tapas) - Cold

$9.00

Seaweed Salad
an assortment of seaweeds and vegetables served with a japanese vinaigrette

$9.00

Sunomono
seafood and vegetables served with a japanese vinaigrette

Soups

$4.00

Shiromiso
house simple white miso

$4.00

Suimono
clear broth with enoki mushrooms, fish cake, and mitsuba (japanese cilantro)

$7.50

Asarimiso
manila clams in miso broth (subject to availability)

$8.00

Chawan Mushi
japanese custard soup with exotic traditional ingredients

$9.00

Ochazuke
green tea broth rice soup with pickles, seaweed, and crispy baked konbu cured salmon

$14.00

Tara Chiri
black cod soup with japanese vegetables and tofu served with a spicy ponzu sauce

Salads

$5.00

House Mixed Greens Salad
with choice of yuzu tofu or balsamic soy onion dressing

$10.00

Shiitake Salad
grilled shiitake mushrooms with mixed greens and japanese citron soy dressing

$10.00

Sasa Caesar Salad
romaine lettuce tossed with a tangy tofu-yuzu-anchovy dressing, topped with fresh shaved parmesan and house-marinated blue fish (japanese anchovies when available)

$16.00

Tuna Tataki Salad
tuna seared in garlic butter and spices served on a bed of organic greens

$9.00

Calamari Salad
crispy deep fried calamari served on a bed of organic greens with a citrus soy vinaigrette

$9.50

Soft Shell Crab Salad
deep fried soft shell crab served on a bed of organic greens with a citrus soy vinaigrette

Vegetarian

$8.00

Goma Ae
asparagus, spinach and beets topped with a sesame dressing

$7.00

Kinpira Gobo
julienned slices of burdock root and carrot sautéed in sweet sake and soy

$9.00

Dengaku
tofu, eggplant, and yam protein broiled in sweet miso

$11.00

Mushroom Tofu
deep fried tofu topped with a garlic mushroom sauce

Tempura
Served Two Pieces Per Order

$2.00

Japanese Pumpkin

$2.00

Sweet Potato

$2.00

Asparagus

$2.00

Avocado

$2.00

Broccoli

$2.00

Zucchini

$2.00

Tofu

$2.00

Onion

$2.00

Carrot

$2.50

Shiitake

$2.50

Enoki

$2.50

Portabello Mushrooms

$3.50

Shrimp

$3.50

Calamari

$3.50

Whitefish

$3.50

Chicken

$4.50

Oysters Or Scallops

$8.00

Lobster

Noodles

$9.00
With Yamaimo Mountain Yam Add $1.50

Cha-soba
chilled green tea noodles served with thin-sliced scallions, fresh grated wasabi and soy-based broth for dipping

$10.00
With Grilled Duck Breast Add $4.95

Su-udon
japanese wheat-flour noodles in a soy broth with chicken, vegetables, and fish cake

$24.00

Ramen Combo
soy based broth topped with vegetables, fish cake and either chashu or duck with a choice of: assorted vegetable tempura (5 pc) nigiri: tuna, salmon, shrimp, & yellowtail maki: spicy tuna roll, california roll, salmon tartare roll or tuna roll sashimi: tuna, salmon, yellowtail

Looking for another city?

Sushi Sasa

2401 15th St. Denver, CO 80202

303-433-7272

Description

2012 | Best Expense-Account Dinner

2011 | Best Sushi Restaurant

2010 | Best Expense-Account Lunch

2009 | Best Sushi Restaurant

2008 | Best Sushi Restaurant

2007 | Best Tasting Menu

2007 | Best Sushi Restaurant

2006 | BEST TASTING MENU

2006 | BEST SUSHI RESTAURANT

By Amber Taufen | Thu, March 29, 2012

By Amber Taufen | Tue, November 29, 2011

By Patricia Calhoun | Thu, May 12, 2011

By Laura Shunk | Tue, July 13, 2010

By Laura Shunk | Fri, June 25, 2010

chi2soul | 1 Reviews

rustin1 | Denver, CO | 13 Reviews

likemestephen | Denver, CO | 44 Reviews

People Who Like Sushi Sasa