Kawa Ni
This Izakaya Japanese concept is the new hot spot in Denver...
Kawa Ni
Kawa Ni is located in the Highlands and had a line out the door the entire time we were there; I highly recommend making a reservation! We arrived at Kawa Ni and were seated at a 2-person booth in the main dining room. The atmosphere was lively, and the decor was Japanese pub inspired. Our server Noah was awesome - he was very knowledgeable on the menu and attentive with service our whole meal. Chef & restaurateur, Bill Taibe came out and ensured we were enjoying our dinner (it was so nice to meet him & see his excitement for his new Denver restaurant).
For cocktails I had the 'Sumoki' made with mezcal, yellow chartreuse, ancho reyes, & lemon-ginger agave.
Sumoki
Delightfully tangy with some heat - this cocktail merged the fabulous smokey flavor of Mezcal with citrus. The lemon-ginger agave balanced out the flavors of the mezcal & chartreuse.
Rayna had the 'Cool As A...' made with cucumber, gin, lemon, & bubbles.
Cool As A..
Refreshing, crisp, absolutely delicious - this classic take on a cucumber gin fizz was a winner and made for very easy sipping. We loved this cocktail.
For Korudo (cold dishes) we had the Cucumbers seasoned with karikari ume, kelp, sunflower, & shiso.
Cucumbers
The cucumbers were bright and snappy with bursts of sour & salty flavors.
For Dumplings we had the Peekytoe Crab Rangoons with ginger-kosho dressing and Shrimp potstickers served with roast pineapple "duck sauce".
Peekytoe Crab Rangoons
Shrimp potstickers
The bite size rangoons were golden & crispy with a fluffy cream cheese, crab filling. The potstickers were generously filled with a mix of well-seasoned shrimp; the juicy filling was complemented by the duck sauce.
For Nigiri we had the Creamy Spicy Tuna topped with daikon & kizami nori.
Creamy Spicy Tuna
This presentation of crispy tuna was phenomenal (in looks and taste) - the nigiri pieces themselves were huge and the crispy rice had a great crunch and chew against the smooth, cool tuna. A must order!
For Sandoitchi we had the Biang Biang Chicken Bao made with hot honey chicken, yuzu goma, & pickles.
Biang Biang Chicken Bao
Where are my hot chicken lovers? These bao buns are for you. This fresh take on traditional bao used hot honey and a tangy pickle. The crispy chicken contrasted well in texture with the soft, fluffy bao bun that enveloped it.
For 'Men' (noodles, no broth) we had the Spicy Lamb Dan Dan made with miso noodles, sesame, peanuts, gochujang, & bok choy.
Spicy Lamb Dan Dan
Bury me in these noodles - the dan dan noodles packed a punch heat wise and stayed true to authentic Sichuan flavor with freshly boiled noodles generously coated in a savory, spicy sauce. The spicy sauce erupted onto my taste buds and left me craving more (my mouth is watering just thinking about this dish, I loved it).
Big thanks to Kawa Ni, Bill, & Noah for hosting us!
Check it out babes and let them know that denv.her. sent you.
Kawa Ni
Address: 1900 W 32nd Ave, Denver, CO 80211
Phone: (303) 455-9208
Menu: kawanidenver.com
Reservations: opentable.com