First of all, let me tell you that I am Japanese and sushi is my favorite food. I once ate 48 pieces of sushi in one sitting. I've lived in Denver for the last 15 years of my life and over the years, I've enjoyed great sushi from many different and authentic Denver establishments like Sushi Den, Japon, Genroku, Banzai, Sonodas, Mori, Tazu, and even Sushi Zanmai in Boulder. But somehow, I had never been to Sushi Tora until this past weekend. What a big mistake that was. There are certain basic elements to making fine sushi and Tora got an A+ on every single one of them. First and foremost, the chef was Japanese! I'm not being prejudiced but I can not stress this enough when it comes to sushi. If you want the best, seek out chefs that are Japanese or someone who has trained under Japanese master chefs. Sushi-do (the way of sushi) is very much like a martial art and it needs to be taken very seriously. Next was their shari (sushi rice). Seems easy but the subtle flavor and the softness as well as the right amount for nigiri is one of the keys to making theirs such fine sushi. Then there is the fish. The freshness, the cut, and the portion was perfect in the way it draped over the shari. Also important is the wasabi. Many chefs catering to locals don't even put the wasabi in the sushi anymore but the chef at Tora did and that earned him extra points. Add to that, a variety of exotic fish imported fresh and direct from Japan, most I've seen at any sushi place in Colorado, made this dining experience the BEST I've ever had in Colorado. Their friendly staff made the ambience very lively. They are going for authenticity here and not trendy/snobby. I saw many Japanese customers which is also rare in Colorado. They're not cheap but that's usually is a good sign. I know this is a huge claim but trust me when it comes to this stuff. Sorry for the long review.
Pros: fine ingredients and perfect execution
Cons: crowded on Saturday nights
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