Another bowl a ramen slurped means another contender to be added to my list for the Best Ramen in Denver. I recently headed to chef Jeff Osaka’s joint, Sushi-rama, after hearing they were adding a few of the same ramens offered at his other restaurant, Osaka Ramen, to the menu at the DTC and Lone Tree locations.
Please note: Financial compensation was not received for this post. I was invited by Sushi-rama to come in for a meal on the house. Opinions expressed here are my own.
Decor
Sushi-rama is known for its moderately priced sushi, which snakes through the restaurant courtesy of a conveyor belt. Each serving (usually 2-3 pieces) is served on brightly colored plates that correlate to a price tier. The fun factor continues with a sixties-inspired decor full of pop-art style images and countertops, booth coverings, and chairs in saturated colors.
Couples can slide into one of the two-person booths and larger groups are best served by securing a few chairs in the same row, or along the end of the row where the seating area is curved, which will allow you to easily chat with your fellow diners.
Food
During my visit I focused on the new batch of creative rolls that were just introduced to the menu. The Pineapple Express, with its shrimp tempura, unagi, cucumber, and garlic mayo filling, topped with a spicy pineapple glaze was my favorite of the recently introduced rolls.
I also tried the Surf & Turf (lobster tempura with seared NY Strip – another fave), The Kraken (fried squid legs with bibb lettuce, and the Umami Roll (tofu, cucumber, pickled onion – a good option for vegetarians).
While my husband continued to dine on sushi, I held back in order to save room for the ramen. There are two ramens offered at the DTC and Lone Tree Sushi-rama locations – the Spicy Miso and Shio Ramen (each $13).
On the advice of the restaurant manager I got the Shio Ramen, which turned out to be a great suggestion. I really liked this bowl! I tend to favor lighter style broths and chicken is my preferred ramen protein, so this was right up my alley.
There were plenty of greens (spinach) and bean sprouts to round out the bowl. The broth is not thick or creamy, but rather more akin to a good chicken soup stock. I liked the noodles quite a bit (I always favor the straight, thin noodle over the wavy ones you see at a lot of places.)
I wasn’t able to finish the bowl at the restaurant, so I took some home and the ramen held up as a leftover as well!
Verdict
Sushi-rama is a fun place to come eat. It’s great for families, couples, and groups of co-workers. There is a certain amount of joy that comes with seeing the little plates of sushi wiz by you and the instant gratification of being able to see a roll you like, grab it off the conveyor belt, and eating it straight away.
The individual servings are reasonably priced, $2-4 a pop. This means you can get a decent meal for relatively little money if your are judicious about which plates you take off the belt. They do run a happy hour, Monday – Friday, 3-6pm at all locations it’s 25% off all plates off the belt and 25% off select beer, wine, sake and cocktails, so it pays to come early!
Best Ramen in Denver ranking
(Score for the Shio ramen)
- Broth flavor – 6 points
- Protein quality – 3 points
- Noodle quality – 4 points
- Other ingredients – 3 points
- Presentation – 2 points
Total: 18 points
Details
Sushi-rama DTC – 4960 S Newport St, Denver, CO 80237
- Decor: Colorful, fun sixties-style futuristic
- Crowd: Young professionals and families
- Recommended: Shio ramen
Have a recommendation for the next ramen joint in Denver I should try on my quest for the Best Ramen in Denver? Leave your picks in the comments!