When Shuang “Sherry” Crossland first began planning her upscale Denver restaurant, Sushi by SYC, five years ago, there weren’t that many omakase-style spots in Colorado.
“I feel like omakase is pretty new to the state,” she said about the Japanese concept, which is similar to a chef’s counter, meaning that diners arrive at a specific hour and eat what the chef chooses to serve rather than picking from a menu. “People don’t know you have to be on time.”
These days, diners are much more familiar with the idea as there are close to a dozen such restaurants in town, many of them award-winners, including Kizaki, Ukiyo and Sushi by Scratch, as well as Michelin-starred The Wolf’s Tailor, Beckon and Bruto.
Which is why Crossland wanted Sushi by SYC to have a different feel when it opened in July with 16 seats in a strip mall at 1573 S. Colorado Blvd. On the outside, it looks like any other corner dining spot, but on the inside, it is all glam. A large, brightly-lit emblem of SYC’s logo adorns the wall, and the kitchen team is introduced jazz band-style before the meal. The counter itself looks like an invitation to a bigger party, while the well-curated music playlist, full of alternative pop and dancefloor hits, occasionally has people up and dancing.
Of course, this may also be helped by the ice-cold Jameson shots that appear seemingly from out of nowhere throughout the duration of the meal.
“We’re trying to be more like Vegas and Miami,” Crossland said. “This is the type of restaurant I want to go to when I go out.”
As the owner of One Concept Restaurant Group, Crossland has been a Denver restaurateur since 2007, when she opened downtown sushi restaurant Go Fish, 1 Broadway. Originally from China, she now owns and operates 13 restaurants, including the popular hot pot joint The Bronze Empire (located in the same strip mall as Sushi SYC); Chubby Fish Sushi in Thornton; Miya Moon, a semi-upscale Chinese tapas resturant in Broomfield and Lone Tree; Mikaku Temaki and Ramen in Aurora; Poke Concept, with four locations in Denver and Aurora; and Kung Fu Tea, with two Denver stores.
But Sushi by SYC, she said, will be the first of several high-end restaurants under the SYC offshoot (SYC are Crossland’s initials), including Sushi 37, Blossom by SYC and SYC Omakase, an even more upscale counter in Cherry Creek. Some may open before the year’s end.
“This has been a dream I’ve worked toward for years, and it’s finally becoming a reality. Stepping out of my comfort zone hasn’t been easy, but it’s exactly what I need to do, not just for myself, but for the growth of my company,” Crossland said.
To that end, she also recently launched Mango Supplies and Resources, which creates both white label and branded items mostly for her restaurants. To-go boxes, chopsticks, napkins and moist towelettes are all emblazoned with the SYC logo. “It just makes sense because we have so many restaurants. Some of the white label stuff goes to my friends in Colorado and out of state,” she continued, adding that she’d like to see the brand go national when the time is right.
The roughly three-hour, 16-course menu at Sushi by SYC features exquisite takes on classics like Hamachi crudo, wagyu nigiri and live spot prawn. There’s also Hudson Valley foie gras bruleed with Okinawa brown sugar, Hon maguro with salted egg, and a decadent Hokkaido uni slathered over a sturdy cut of otoro. Crossland said the menu will change roughly every two to three weeks, depending on the availability of fish, though most of the staples will stay on. The restaurant currently offers two seatings, one at 5 p.m. and the other at 8.
Crossland said she owes much of her 18-year success to her ability to find talent and delegate. “I think it’s because I have a really good management team,” she added. Sushi by SYC hasn’t done much marketing, but reservations are still recommended. Crossland said the place has been filling up largely due to regulars at some of her other restaurants who are excited to try new things.
And her existing restaurants will continue to grow and improve, Crossland added. “We will always have One Concepts.”