Takah Sushi is an incredibly popular restaurant that provides authentic Japanese cuisine and a fun, chic dining atmosphere. Takah provides not only an extensive menu, but one of the most popular outdoor dining patios in Aspen.  With room to seat fifty guests, Takah Sushi’s outdoor patio on the Cooper Street mall is a perfect place to people-watch. Tables are set under trees strung with colorful lights, and flower gardens present in the dining area create a natural and soothing ambiance that is very complimentary to Takah’s incredible cuisine, especially when live music is being played on the adjacent walking mall. Indoors and down a flight of stairs is Takah’s indoor dining area, which is spacious and boats a huge sushi counter to the left and a semi-circular bar to the right.

Takah Sushi’s menu is extensive, and boats a commitment to quality – they only use organic, local produce and natural, antibiotic free meats when preparing their dishes. Their sushi menu offers almost any sort of nigiri sushi, sashimi, or rolls that one could desire, including several signature rolls. Of these signature rolls, the Caterpillar (toasted eel and cucumber, topped with avocado, eel sauce, and sesame seeds) and the Rainbow (snow crab salad, asparagus, and cucumber, rolled inside tuna, salmon, yellowtail and avocado) are especially delightful.

Takah Sushi isn’t limited to simply sushi, however – their appetizer and entree menu are just as extensive as the sushi one. In addition to soups and salads (try the delicious Traditional Miso soup with tofu, scallions, and nori, or the Smoked Squid Salad with mixed seaweed, black mushroom, and ginger-sesame dressing), they have an extensive selection of Small Plates. The Atomic Shrimp small plate is a must-try – with asparagus, masago, and Takah’s spicy atomic sauce, this delightful appetizer has a mouthwatering creamy, crunchy, fresh seafood taste with a spicy kick.

The entree menu at Takah Sushi includes Tempura, Large Plates, and House Specialties. The Tempura plate features many delectable vegetables – sweet potato, lotus root, red bell pepper, sweet onion, nori strips, green beans, asparagus, and acorn squash – and can have shrimp added for a small extra charge. Notable large plates include Takah’s take on Pad Thai (thin rice noodles, bean sprouts, tofu, egg and scallions sauteed with pad thai sauce and served with a choice of chicken, shrimp, or vegetarian), and the Bento Boxes on the entrée menu are a delightful and traditionally Japanese way to have a little taste of everything.
 
Takah Sushi also boasts one of the largest sake selection in Colorado, as an incredible drink menu. The Purple Haze sake, infused with raspberry liqueur, is a particularly delicious compliment to one’s meal. Their Takah Martinis are worth every penny, especially with offerings such as the Saketini (Grey Goose with Gekkeikan sake) and the Pamatini (Grey Goose, Skyy ginger-infused vodka, and pomegranate liqueur), as well as many others. They also offer some amazing cocktails, such as Takah’s Agave Old Fashion (Jack Daniels, agave nectar, and fresh lime juice) and the Gingerade (Skyy ginger-infused vodka, fresh lemonade, and a splash of amaretto). They also offer domestic, imported, and Japanese beer as well as red and white wines.

- Amanda Geer

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•