Hop on the sushi train at the new Sushi-Rama near the Denver Tech Center. The sushi joint at 4960 S. Newport St. in the Belleview Station uses a conveyor-belt system to serve color-coded plates of Japanese fare and sushi rolls.
The eatery's kaiten-zushi style of dining, popular in Japan, is catching on locally with another location in RiNo and plans to grow. Along with the conveyor belt itself, owner and chef Jeff Osaka uses a "sushi printer" to press layers of warm rice onto sheets of nori. The technology helps streamline the sushi-making process and keeps prices low for customers, he told Westword.
Sushi-Rama rotates small plates of nigiri like salmon roe, unagi (freshwater eel) and Japanese omelet. Specialty sushi options include spicy yellowtail, pumpkin tempura (kelp topped with avocado and honey glaze) and a soft shell crab roll with avocado, asparagus and spicy mayo. The conveyor-belt dishes range in price from $1.50 to $4 each. Wash down your meal with sake, craft beer or a cocktail like the green tea mule (green tea-infused vodka and ginger beer). (Check out the full menu here.)
With a four-star rating out of 13 reviews on Yelp so far, the new sushi bar has made a promising start.
Yelper Elisabeth C., who was among the first Yelpers to review the new sushi spot on March 16, said, "There's a good variety of fusion-type rolls, with vegetarian options, and the prices range from $1.50 to $4 per plate. The cocktails look good, and our server was attentive and explained the concept well. ... This place doesn't take itself too seriously, and it's definitely more of a fun, hip type of environment."
And Sarah H. said, "The decor is a super fun 1950s/60s mod with bright pastels and a sizable bar. I can definitely see this being a great place to hang out with a group of friends — chatting, drinking and occasionally grabbing whatever looked good off the line."
Head on over to check it out: Sushi-Rama is open from 11 a.m.–9 p.m. on Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.–10 p.m. on Friday and noon–10 p.m. on Saturday. (It's closed on Sunday.)
