12 Life On Capitol Hill
November 2018
Bringing the
world closer to home
Joseph Kim, founder of Dae Gee Korean BBQ, grew up in Denver and opened his first restaurant in Westminster in 2010. He is hoping to bring Korean food into the mainstream. COURTESY OF DAE GEE KOREAN BBQ
As Denver continues to grow, so does its vibrant restaurant scene By Kailyn Lamb | klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com
O
n a Wednesday afternoon, the staff are getting ready to open at 12@Madison in Congress Park. Music plays while Chef Jeff Osaka rolls out dough for a lemon dessert. Osaka opened his first 12 restaurant in the Ballpark neighborhood on Election Day in 2008. Back then, the city was still a steak and potatoes kind of town, with few options for adventurous diners, he said. The location closed in 2014, and he opened the new one in Congress Park in 2016. Over the years the city has grown, and that growth has brought in a more diverse group of people that are looking for a wider range in their cuisine. As a Japanese American growing up in Los Angeles, Osaka was one of those people. Back in California, Osaka tried food from around the world, including the ramen dishes his family would eat at home. “People are starting to venture out,” he said. Since he opened the first 12 location, Osaka has been building a miniature empire. He is now the chef at Osaka Ramen, three Sushi-Ramas -- with two more set to open, 12@Madison, as well as Tammen’s Fish Market in the Denver Central Market in the River North Neighborhood. His restaurants can be found across the city. He also has a Sushi-Rama in Lone Tree, with a new location set to open in SEE RESTAURANTS, P13
As Denver has grown, so has the restaurant scene. Jeff Osaka, who runs several ramen and sushi restaurants throughout the state, said that when he first moved here in the mid-2000s, the city was still a “steak and potatoes” place. COURTESY OF OSAKA RAMEN