You’ve probably heard friends who don’t have foodservice experience talk about opening a little restaurant when they retire, and you probably laughed or gently patted their shoulder and walked away. But Toshi Kizaki has been running Sushi Den and other highly acclaimed Japanese restaurants in Denver for more than 40 years. Nevertheless, he calls his 9-seat omakase restaurant, Kizaki, his “retirement project.”
He opened Sushi Den with his brother Kasu at the end of 1984 and helped transform Denver’s seafood supply chain by establishing a trading company that flew fish from Nagahama fish market, near their hometown on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu, to California and from there to Denver.
They also operate two other restaurants in Denver’s South Pearl Street — Ototo and Izakaya Den — as well as Temaki Den, specializing in hand rolls, in the city’s RiNo district.
Last year, at the age of 69, Kizaki opened his own restaurant, named Kizaki, in Denchu, a South Pearl building he designed that also houses an event space for Sushi Den and Margot, a small fine-dining restaurant by Chef Justin Fulton.
Kizaki has a nine-seat chef’s counter as well as two booths, and it won critical acclaim almost instantly, including a Michelin star.
Dinner is $250 per person, paid in advance, plus tax and a 20% service fee.
“It’s the truest expression of who I am as a Japanese chef, and honoring tradition is what I want to be remembered for,” Kizaki said in an email interview. “I decided to open Kizaki out of a desire to return to my roots.”
Although the Kizakis are from Kyushu, Toshi moved to Tokyo at age 19 and started making that city’s signature Edomae style of sushi.
But Kizaki isn’t only about sushi. Unlike some other omakase restaurants, the chef likes to incorporate cooked dishes as well, “to awaken guests’ palates.”
Seared scallop | Photo credit: Casey Wiley
And even the sushi courses can veer toward the unusual, such as his offering of jikinme, or golden eye snapper, an extra fatty fish known for its red flesh and golden eyes that is very difficult to come by.
“We focus on sourcing high-quality fish, rice, seaweed, and wasabi to create the perfect bite for our guests every time,” he said. That’s different from his and his brother’s other restaurants, which apart from classic Edomae sushi also offer maki rolls and “American style” sushi, such as California rolls.
“The Denver community has grown up loving Japanese food from dining at my other restaurants. Now, I get to open their eyes to the deeper layers and complexity of Japanese tradition with my truly authentic approach that doesn’t pander to the American palate,” he said. “Interest in Japanese culture is at an all-time high, and Kizaki is one of the most authentic experiences you’ll find in the country.”
Because the restaurant is so small, Kizaki can be more selective in his sourcing.
“If a specific ingredient or dish doesn’t fit my standards, I have the ability to nix it from service that night and pivot to another dish,” he said. “The result is that no two services are the same, and each menu is heavily influenced by the catch of the day.”
And he said Denver has embraced it.
“I knew it would be popular, but I’m always astonished at how quickly it books out, and how well-received it’s been by Denver and beyond,” he said. “We’ve had guests fly from out of state just to dine here.”
That’s particularly satisfying given that this is his passion project.
“Kizaki is my honest return to my heritage,” he said. “It’s been an honor to do things my way and have people believe in my dream.”
Contact Bret Thorn at [email protected]
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