In the words of Auguste Escoffier, “good food is the basis
of true happiness”. I believe fantastic service can turn your food from good,
to great. If good food is the basis of true happiness than fantastic service is
the basis of pure elation. My first experience with sushi did not go as well as
I hoped it would. Although the sushi tasted great, the combination of tender
textures and my mind getting the better of me didn’t go over very well, and I
thought I would never be able to enjoy sushi. It wasn’t until I worked at a
sushi restaurant in Chicago called Koi that I was able to overcome my mind.
Part of my training was to taste
the food on the menu; I would have been terribly embarrassed to try my training
food only to become sick. My trainer at Koi managed to get me past my fear and
try a taste of tako (octopus), much to my surprise I absolutely loved it and so
my love for sushi began. My new found adoration for sushi traveled with me from
Chicago to Washington, Hawaii to Florida, and everywhere in-between. My palate
for sushi took flight along with my life and I explored this new cuisine with curiosity
and passion. Coincidentally, it was during this point in my life that I began
to recognize a true sense of happiness in my life.
Anyone who has ever lived near the
coast and an endless supply of fresh seafood may experience trepidation when
considering eating sushi here in Denver. My father John and I walked into Sushi
Harbor at 6pm on a Thursday. We were seated in a booth and given our menus. The
interior was very feng shui and typical of the many sushi establishments I have
dined in. Sushi Harbor is moderately sized and can seat around eighty people
between booths, tables, the sushi bar and the bar. Sushi Harbor has buy one,
get one hot sake and beer all day, every day so we ordered a large hot sake
($6.95) and a large Kirin Ichiban ($5.95) to start. Our server Tom told us
about the specials and pointed out the different areas on the menu. We ordered
miso soup ($2), tamago sushi ($3.95), Hamachi sushi ($5), a Fire Cracker Roll
($13.25), an Osaka Roll ($13.50), and their Crunch Spicy Yellowtail Roll ($6.50).
The sushi was two pieces per order
and the rolls were eight pieces each. The miso soup came out right away and had
perfectly balanced salty and umami flavors; it was then followed by a small
house salad, compliments of Sushi Harbor! The salad was just iceberg lettuce
and a house-made peanut dressing, although it was simple and very basic, the
flavor was complex and intricate. Next came our sushi and we got our free round
of sake and beer, this time switching to Sapporo rather than Kirin just to
switch it up a little. The plate was nicely arranged as is customary with sushi
restaurants. My dad always judges a place based on how their Hamachi tastes and
Sushi Harbor’s Hamachi was perfect. It had a delicate flavor and practically
melted in your mouth.
Tom continually checked in with us to
see how we were enjoying our meal and asked us our names. It was from this point
on that Tom addressed us by name when he spoke to us. My tamago was exactly
what I was looking for, a nice sweet cooked egg with perfect texture. After we
finished our sushi we began to try the rolls. I started with the Crunch Spicy
Yellowtail and moved to the Osaka Roll then the Fire Cracker Roll. The Crunch
Spicy Yellowtail quickly became my favorite as the delicate buttery flavor of
the crunch paired perfectly with the delicious spicy yellowtail. Tom stopped by
yet again and we ordered another round of sake and beer.
The Osaka Roll was my second
favorite with spicy yellowtail, cucumber and jalapeno rolled and topped with
super white tuna, cilantro and syracha. The cilantro was a very nice addition
to this roll. The firecracker roll was jalapeno stuffed with cream cheese,
shrimp, and spicy tuna then deep fried and topped with Ponzu sauce. The Ponzu
was absolutely delectable and the roll had a great combination of flavors, but
could have been lighter on the cream cheese as it overwhelmed the other
flavors. We took a short break and decided to order another roll and more sake
and beer. Tom offered the next round of beer on the house much to our delight!
We ordered the Rock-N-Roll which was shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, crunch, mango,
avocado, masago, and cucumber wrapped in soy paper topped with eel sauce. It
was very refreshing and the perfect end to our fantastic meal. All in all Sushi
Harbor was great.
The quality of the food was more
than I hoped for, the service was beyond outstanding, and the price was right, leaving
me in such a state of elation I could have been walking in the clouds. Here at
Sushi Harbor I found true happiness and I cannot wait to return and try other
items on the menu while I thoroughly enjoy buy one, get one free, sake and
beer! I give Sushi Harbor 3 out of 4 stars.
Sushi Harbor
4136 E. 8th Ave
303-333-6888
Cash and all major credit cards accepted
Sun-Thur: 11am-10pm
Fri-Sat: 11am-10:30pm
Parking lot and street parking
Reservations accepted
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