Iwayama Sushi still keeping it raw after 3 years

  Iwayama Sushi owner Lee Alan first brought a taste of Hawaii to South Jeffco three years ago, and he’s temporarily adding a few more island touches to the menu to mark the occasion.

Emile Hallez Williams

Iwayama Sushi owner Lee Alan said the restaurant has a friendly atmosphere. "We try to be the Cheers of the sushi bar industry," he said.

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“We’re going to be celebrating our third anniversary next week. Three full years, done. Time flew by,” Alan said last week. “We have traditional Hawaiian food (this) week,” he added, referring to the eatery’s anniversary April 2.

Hawaiian fare is nothing new at Iwayama. Many of the menu items offer a bit of island flair — even the heavy burritos with mango salsa and massive burgers one would likely not expect at a sushi bar. It’s that unusual, exotic element that has helped earn the restaurant the status of a hidden gem among locals. That, Alan said, along with gourmet food and an environment where everybody knows your name.

“We try to be the Cheers of the sushi bar industry,” Alan said. “This place is just real casual. My employees, my customers, they all make up the atmosphere of the place.”

Most of the patrons are regulars, he said. It might take him a few times to learn a customer’s name, but he doesn’t forget a face — or a plate.

“I might not remember everybody, but I remember what you ate,” he said.

Alan first started rolling sushi as a teenager in Honolulu. A classmate’s family owned a Japanese restaurant, and they put him to work. He took quickly to the fine art of food preparation and turned it into a lifelong passion.

Alan came to Colorado to work as an executive chef at Tommy Tsunami’s Pacific Diner. He later helped establish a Kona Grill in Arizona and taught classes at a culinary arts school in Hawaii before settling in South Jeffco.

And after three years, Alan said he intends to stay, having renewed Iwayama’s lease for another three.

“I love what I do, and I appreciate that the customer likes what I do,” he said. “I’m not all about the show,” he added, referring to Iwayama’s toned-down atmosphere, which has more in common with a sports bar than a refined Japanese establishment.

An assortment of photos and old newspaper clippings lines a wall near the entrance. A peculiar cut-out of a sumo wrestler’s head hangs above the bar, its forehead bearing Alan’s name.

“This place isn’t anything flashy. It’s just comfortable, very casual,” he said. “You don’t have to dress up.”

But a lack of sophistication — and space — does not mean an absence of quality fare, he said. Iwayama has earned a reputation among patrons as a place to relax and relish the trans-cultural fusion. Alan alters the offerings every week, often creating specials tied to current events or holidays. A few sushi rolls named after regulars Ronda and Patrice have earned a permanent place on the menu.

“Last week was St. Patrick’s Day. I sold six corned-beef briskets here, at a sushi bar. Can you believe it? We’re famous for our burgers and burritos, too,” Alan said. “A lot of people say it’s better than most Mexican places.”

In other words, Iwayama is all about food, which is why people typically patronize a restaurant.

“I know I’m not the cheapest sushi bar in town, but I think people are willing to pay a little bit more for a better quality product,” Alan said. “We don’t have a big, diverse menu, but whatever we do, we try and do well.”

Contact Emile Hallez Williams at emile@evergreenco.com or 303-933-2233, ext. 22. For updates, check www.ColumbineCourier.com.

Iwayama Sushi

5500 S. Simms St., Unit C.

303-948-1199.

Hours:

Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

and Monday through Saturday from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m.