Fontana Sushi rolls up avocado and veggie rolls for herbivores

It's not easy to find quality sushi in the suburbs, but Fontana Sushi, 8601 West Cross Drive, #F4 in Littleton, is an oasis in a desert of Olive Gardens and Chili's storefronts. Yes, it's also part of a chain; this branch is owned by brothers Quiang and Sky Chen (Kevin Lin owns the rest of the local chain). But the strip-mall sushi joint has a pleasant atmosphere -- the space is bright, airy and clean; the decor appropriate for both casual and special nights out -- and there are several menu options for veggie-lovers.

Although this Fontana isn't large, you can usually find a table -- or just grab a stool by the cozy sushi bar and watch the chefs in action. Unlike Japango, Fontana doesn't have a pre-priced veggie spread, but that's an advantage in some ways, because diners can order exactly what they want. Above, from left, are Fontana's vegetable roll (containing avocado, asparagus and cucumber), the plain avocado roll and four orders of inari (sushi rice stuffed inside fried tofu pouches). This is a very basic setup; when given the order, Fontana sushi chefs can outdo themselves creating beautiful plates that are just as enjoyable to look at as they are to eat from.

The seaweed salad is a lot like the seaweed salads you'll find all over town, except this one is served on top of an iceberg lettuce mix with shredded carrots.

Fontana offers a slew of specialty rolls, and pescetarians who live in the southwest suburbs will want to take note, too, because Fontana's fish is very fresh, and its sushi chefs very talented at handling that fish. Whether you're vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free or will eat whatever's put in front of you, as long as you love sushi, you'll find something to love at Fontana Sushi.

For more information, call 303-933-6788.