Beyond Sushi: Where to Find Classic Japanese Dishes in Denver

Sushi is undoubtedly Japan’s most famous food export. Today it’s a common meal for many Americans, from weeknight takeout to special-occasion splurges. But Japanese food is more than just sushi, or the cooked-in-front-of-you hibachi popularized by Benihana decades ago. There are various iterations of ramen, shatteringly crisp chicken karaage, comforting yakisoba and katsudon, as well as a savory loaded pancake called okonomiyaki that seems poised to be the next big thing for Americans to embrace. And that's just the start.

Denver isn’t a Japanese food mecca in the U.S. like Torrance, California, or Honolulu, but there are many solid options, if you know where to look — and the scene is continuing to grow. 

In LoHi, Kumoya opened in October with dishes like chawanmushi (a savory egg custard, usually with shellfish dotted throughout) and a katsu sando on shokupan (Japanese milk bread). This month, Connecticut chef Bill Taibe opened his second location of Kawa Ni in the same neighborhood. It's a playful Japanese izakaya concept that's doing more than just playing the hits.

The options have also grown on Havana Street in Aurora with Leezakaya, a new izakaya-leaning spot from prolific local restaurateur JW Lee, whose other spots include Seoul K-BBQ and Hot Pot, Mono Mono and Seoul Mandoo. In Platt Park, Ototo, the robata-style concept from the owners of Sushi Den, reopened this spring after a two-year pandemic pause.

Here are some of the best places in the metro area to go beyond sushi and discover the full breadth of Japanese cuisine:
Tonkotsu ramen

This is the rich pork-based ramen broth that is most popular in ramen shops around the world. For the best classic version with no frills, visit Katsu Ramen in Aurora. For a more powerful, porkier new-school version, order the miso bacon or Death Wish at Glo Noodle House in the Berkeley neighborhood.

Chicken karaage

Japanese fried chicken is traditionally made with chunks of marinated boneless thigh meat battered in potato starch (cornstarch is a common substitute). Once you’re in the know on this stuff, it’s almost impossible to not order it when you see it, and you’ll see it on a surprisingly high number of menus across the Front Range. It’s almost always good, but for the best, get it at Ototo in Platt Park or Osaka Ramen in RiNo.
Okonomiyaki

If you’re interested in trying this unique dish native to Osaka, go to the aptly named Osaka’s in Boulder. The savory cabbage and egg pancake comes on a sizzling platter topped with whatever you’d like (you can choose from pork belly, yakisoba, seafood, scallion and shiso). Nowhere else on the Front Range specializes in this dish — Osaka's even offers it in burger form. The menu also includes other regional specialties from Japan's third-largest city, such as yakisoba and takoyaki (fried octopus fritters).

Onigiri

These are the ubiquitous rice balls (really, they’re triangles) famous in Japanese convenience stores like 7-Eleven and Family Mart. A simple but delicious snack, it is usually stuffed with fish, umeboshi (pickled Japanese plum) or various other ingredients. For a great onigiri, stop by Dry Storage bakery in Boulder (which is part of chef Kelly Whitaker’s grain-based empire).
Katsudon

If you are interested in pure country-comfort classics like katsudon, katsu curry, sukiyaki and more, Kiki’s Japanese Casual Dining in University Park is worth a stop. The menu is huge, but if you’re overwhelmed, the pork or chicken katsudon, which is breaded tonkatsu, sliced onions and eggs simmered in a slightly sweet soy miso broth and served over rice, is a safe starting point.
Karepan

Translated as “curry bread” in English, karepan is a fried croquette stuffed with a Japanese curry filling. When you’re in the mood for a morning bakery stop but want to mix things up, head to Tokyo Premium Bakery in Platt Park for a beef karepan along with plenty of other Japanese baked goods, including pillowy shokupan.

Bonus: Oshizushi

Okay, this one is slightly cheating if we’re trying to go “beyond sushi,” but this Osaka-region specialty is too good not to include. This is “pressed sushi,” made by pressing together rice with fish on top then cutting it into small, bite-sized pieces. For a taste of this specialty in Denver, order the salmon oshizushi at Temaki Den inside the Source — then keep on ordering, because everything on the menu here is stellar.