The Aspen outpost of Nobu Matsuhisa's small group of personally-run restaurants (distinct from the larger Nobu chain) occupies a beautifully restored 1880s Victorian house at 303 East Main Street. Two storeys of intimate dining rooms upstairs, a sushi bar and lounge downstairs; the kitchen sends out Matsuhisa's signature Peruvian-Japanese cooking, including the original yellowtail-jalapeño sashimi and the black cod with miso.
Reservations are essential and need to be made well ahead in winter — booking can require months of lead time during peak season. The bar takes walk-ins and is the easier way in; the late-night sushi menu (after 10pm) is one of the best deals in town. Expensive, but in line with Aspen and consistently rated one of the best restaurants in Colorado.