If eating fish that was swimming in the ocean yesterday is your thing, Foxnut just may be your restaurant. Executive Chef Riley Romanin, who grew up in Eagle County, isn’t Japanese, but you’d never know it when you taste his food. The Asian fusion restaurant in Beaver Creek Village features fresh sushi and imaginative combinations like fresh water eel with Granny Smith apples and spicy mustard mayonnaise. Romanin is passionate about sushi, and learned the craft of preparing it from sitting at sushi bars, he says. From striped orange marlin to the more exotic sea bream, you never know what kinds of fresh sushi might be available each day.

A New-Age approach
Any restaurant that describes its cuisine with the word “fusion” is likely trying to be ahead of the game in terms of food trends. At Foxnut, there are definitely some items that show Romanin’s thoughtfulness and creativity. The New Age Nigiri is one.
The nigiri, or sushi rice topped with fresh fish, is all made with flavorful complementing sauces — something Romanin created so that people wouldn’t feel the need to dip the sushi in soy sauce. With so many out-of-town diners coming in, many of whom live at much lower altitudes, Romanin wanted to create dishes that would reduce their sodium intake because too much sodium can lead to dehydration. The nigiri sauces include exciting combinations like truffle and yuzu, mango and sweet Thai chili and an avocado wasabi puree.

Rolls
The sushi roll options at Foxnut should please any sushi lover. There are more than 20 specialty rolls to choose from, with standouts like the Tango Roll, with spicy tuna, avocado and tempura shrimp wrapped in mango and tuna, and the Pipeline Roll, with lobster tail, spicy tuna and spicy crab. The fusion comes into play in rolls like the Colorado, with beer-battered rainbow trout, goat cheese and kim chee tarter sauce, and the Tree Hugger, with soy paper, Portobello and sprouts.

Side box:
A great way to try Foxnut’s sushi is at happy hour, daily from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The menu offers half off hot sake, large Sapporo and several specialty rolls and nigiri. Don’t miss one of the Foxnut Saketinis, make with fruit-infused liquors and cold sake.


— Lauren Glendenning

Foxnut Asian Fusion & Sushi
45 W. Thomas Place
Beaver Creek
970.845.0700
www.bcfoxnut.com