Sushi lovers, add this restaurant to your must-try list: Sushi Mori. The Japanese restaurant opened on Platte Avenue next to the Asian Pacific Market late last year. We stopped in for lunch recently and were both surprised and impressed.
The Vibe
Sushi Mori had some strong local buzz early on, which had us intrigued. Maybe it’s the location that kept our expectations tempered. Platte Avenue between Academy and Powers is not a restaurant hot spot. But co-owner Liyan Jin says it was an intentional choice for its proximity to the Asian Pacific Market and along the high-traffic east-west corridor. It also gave her and co-owner/executive chef Young Kim the blank slate of a brand new building to create the concept they wanted.
The result is a beautiful space with a fresh, brand-new feel. Full-glass walls extend along two sides providing lots of natural light that plays well with interior natural wood accents and nature-inspired art. Outside there’s a wraparound patio for catching southern sun. A spa-like soundtrack adds to the zen garden ambiance. Sushi Mori doesn’t come off as fancy, but it conveys a simple yet chic Japanese aesthetic.
The Menu
It’s all a stylish backdrop for a wide-ranging menu featuring top-shelf sushi. Other options include Japanese donburi rice bowls, a variety of grilled yaki and breaded, fried katsu. And it’s a subtle highlight that the soy sauce is made in house, providing a rich earthy flavor.
We go with a Sashimi Mori-A-Wase, a sampler of thinly sliced sashimi, beautifully presented among vegetables and flowers, as well as Bento Boxes that deliver a mix of options, such as gyoza, tempura, nigiri and rolls. We’ll have to return to try broader selections, but the sushi truly shines.
“Our most popular is nigiri,” Jin says. ”Our specialty is nigiri or sashimi because we specialize in fresh fish you can’t find anywhere else. We don’t use frozen fish.”
Seasonal examples at the time of our visit include madai, which is red sea bream and known as the “king of fish” in Japan. There is shima-aji, a prized striped jack fish, known for its buttery sweetness and rich umami, as well as kinmedai, a Japanese luxury golden eye snapper. “We also have Hokkaido uni,” Jin says. “It’s a really premium Japanese sea urchin.”
We are seated at the sushi bar, and as we chat with Jin and Kim, he is unboxing and filleting a shipment of fresh, whole fish, including kurodai (black snapper) and Pacific bluefin tuna. He expertly cuts away the collars near the fish’s jawline and serves us a sample of kama-toro. “Melt in your mouth” gets overused, but this choice, fatty cut served as nigiri truly dissolves on the tongue with a deep umami quality.
The Talent
Kim says he uses the same supplier as Denver’s sushi standouts Sushi Den, Izakaya Den and Kizaki. The latter was awarded One Michelin Star last year. Kim’s experience in the industry includes working with those restaurants’ owner Toshi Kizaki. But he has built an esteemed reputation of his own through 30 years in the Springs, managing Japanese restaurants in the Springs, including Mushashi, Ai Sushi and Grill, Umi Sushi and Bada Japaneses, as well as owning Zen Fusion Sushi and Bistro. Kim closed that restaurant amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and says he took a break.
As for Jin, she first came to the Springs with the U.S. Army when she was stationed at Fort Carson in 2010. Her role as a food inspector gave her experience working with a wide variety of restaurants and cuisines at military bases around the world. (As expected, she says she has aced health inspections.) After her military service ended in 2019, Jin bought China Cafe in Castle Rock and operated it until selling in 2024.
That opened the door for good friends Jin and Kim to create Sushi Mori together. She brings the business chops. He conjures the culinary artistry. His long-time local experience has also brought an instant credibility and following of regular diners who have savored his fare through the years.
Count us among the fans, and add Sushi Mori to your must-eat list for standout sushi.
Find the complete menu at sushimorico.com.
