Epicurean Encounters: Restaurant Review: Tokio, Denver

The chef at Tokio has the enviable, taut, unblemished, Asian complexion that makes his age unknowable. If it weren't for his shock of white buzz top, I would say he's 40, tops. But because I know he hails from the venerable Japon in Wash Park, which successfully ran for almost 20 years, I know he is probably much older. Not only is his face fit for a painting, he has the lithe physique of a twenty year old. All the better for fitting into the tight space that is the open kitchen.
The restaurant is located in a newly developed high density community a stone's throw from Coors Field. On a balmy spring day, it is bustling with loads of young urbanites seeking dining options. We met one gregarious transplant from Florida who referred to this neighborhood as Central Platte Valley. Adjacent to Tokio is a pizza joint, a Santiago's, and a bar named Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot (WTF). Happily, they have shared parking in back as well as a larger covered garage.
Both times we've dined at Tokio (misspelled intentionally), we have sat at the sushi bar although it is a two story establishment. The lower floor has a scattering of tables with one long communal table made of gorgeous petrified wood. The bathrooms are some of the cleanest I've observed.
Tokio is not strictly a sushi bar, and it is more elegant than most ramen dens. I think what sets it apart is the Japanese charcoal grill called a bincyo-tan which is typically known for delicious street food in Japan. This is the coolest thing. The unique charcoal gets super hot without any smoke so you don't end up smelling like what you just ate! Items are a la carte and choices include goodies such as Berkshire pork and Kobe beef as well as more pedestrian chicken wings and chicken liver. We opted for the whole squid. It was a masterpiece in its simplicity. The squeaky clean and very fresh squid was sliced by the chef and briefly char grilled imparting the perfect amount of smokiness. The tentacles were toothsomely crisp and the rings tender. A very light ginger soy dressing added a nice umami flavor.
The first time we dined at Tokio, we stumbled upon Happy Hour. We ordered so much food that we did not have any room for the ramen, which apparently is the house's specialty. The happy hour items were delicious but I am a big fan of ramen, so I made sure we did not make that mistake again.
There are nine different ramen broths to choose from. I ordered the Spicy Shoyu which is a pork and chicken broth and Don got the Cremoso Diablo which has cheddar and jack cheeses added to a miso base to provide creaminess. All ramen except one comes with cha syu (Asian barbecue) pork and a soft boiled egg as well as assorted vegetables.
My broth had just enough heat to make you choke if you inhaled wrong. The noodles were timed and cooked al diente in special ramen strainers. Garnishes such as sliced scallions and bean sprouts are standard ramen fare. I found the pickled bamboo shoots a bit limp. There were some brick red filaments that the waitress explained were dried chilis. I loved the soft boiled egg. The yolk was creamy but did not run. The description said my ramen came with a fish cake which I was chagrinned to find missing.
Don's creamy ramen was very garlicky and seemed designed for a gaijin (foreigner) with all the cheese. Both bowls had plentiful noodles, although Don's noodles seem to have a less uniform and more homemade appearance. They are not stingy with their pork slices although for $2, you can get extra pork.
I was not blown away by the ramen. It seemed somewhat lacking in depth of flavor as compared to my old stand by, Oshima Ramen, which has sadly shuttered. Surprisingly, I much enjoyed the happy hour fare. For $3-5 dollars, you can sample a variety of small plates. Some highlights include the seaweed salad. It was beautifully plated, very fresh and came with two different types of kelp. The Kara Age was marinated boneless chicken lightly battered and quickly deep fried. The portion was generous especially for happy hour. The chicken was juicy and well flavored and the batter nice and light. My favorite were the blistered Shishito peppers. Finger length green chili peppers are pan fried until their paper thin skins blister. Sweet and bright with little heat, they make a delicious snack, especially when paired with sake or a Japanese beer.