A Playful New Bite

While still young and hip, the married duo of chefs who own and run the new Odd Rabbit sushi and noodle house have no need to prove themselves. Ariana and Chris Teigland’s first venture, Glo Noodle House in Denver, has been a hit since it opened in 2020, is featured on Michelin’s Bib Gourmand list, and for many restaurateurs, might have been a laurel worth resting on. The Teiglands, however, prefer playing to resting, and they translated that fresh and playful spirit into every level of their latest project, Odd Rabbit, which opened at the end of April. 

“It’s the perfect name because rabbits are clever and cunning and creative, and that’s what we’re trying to do,” says executive chef Chris Teigland. “We’re not trying to be super traditional. We have a Japanese style and foundation but allow ourselves the freedom to be different, and no one walks into somewhere called Odd Rabbit expecting it to be formal.”

Instead, folks walking into Odd Rabbit will find a brand-new space with tall ceilings, bright windows, and stylish concrete, its industrial edges softened with moody colors, lantern light fixtures, and several large, quirky murals. (Beware the octopus in the bathroom hall!) Of course, rather than walk, some diners will surely choose to bike to the restaurant instead, seeing that its front door opens directly to Boulder Creek and the South Boulder Creek multi-use path. 

Inside, though a chef by training, Ariana Teigland handles the front of the house, where her staff carefully explains and serves the Odd Rabbit menu. Shorter and more curated than Glo’s offerings, this menu changes seasonally and includes a balanced mix of sushi and dinner offerings. 

“This is sushi not confined to only soy and wasabi,” says Chris, although certainly there are classic sashimi and nigiri options on the menu like salmon, hamachi, and toro. Beside those standards, though, are a fascinating selection of aburi nigiri, meaning nigiri sushi (usually uncooked fish over rice) that’s very quickly grilled or torched. The technique creates a layer of caramelization around the raw fish for a crisp edge and a hint of sweetness, such as in the aburi scallop with miso, brown butter, and lemon. 

But not always with fish! The aburi short rib is a standout, lightly caramelized but otherwise served tartar-style with chimichurri and bordelaise, two sauces that may not have seen the inside of a sushi restaurant previously. Other non-traditional sushi proteins include a pork belly temaki (hand roll) as well as a temaki with no proteins: the umami-rich and vegan mushroom hand roll with miso, umeboshi (pickled plums), and herbs.  

If any of these menu terms—or the impressive sake menu—intimidate you, Ariana takes care to hire and train only the best staff to help lead the way and customize your experience.

“We try to execute food well with attention to detail, but in a way that makes people feel comfortable,” she says, claiming her servers are also the most charming. “We tell our staff to let their personalities shine, to get to know their tables, and make sure diners feel very well taken care of.”

Her personal tastes run toward the dinner side of Odd Rabbit’s menu, which offers salads, ramen, and large plates like the Asian-inspired double cheeseburger with miso mayo and pepper jelly. While the noodles and flavors are just as amazing as the award-winning ramen at Glo, the mushroom sesame noodles, served without broth, are another vegan stunner. Plus, Ariana calls their chicken wings a sleeper hit, the dish’s fish sauce caramel creating an addictive sweet-salty-sour combination. 

From start to finish—the desserts are decadent!—Odd Rabbit offers culinary creativity and sophistication rarely found east of 55th Street in Boulder. The restaurant is a keystone business on the literal ground floor of the diverse Weathervane mixed-use community, ideally positioned to become a neighborhood favorite for old and new area residents. 

“There are people who have lived here for a long time, and they’re only now getting places like ours near them. That excited us about being away from Pearl Street,” Ariana says. “We save a good portion of the dining room for those neighborhood walk-ins, and the bar has felt very communal lately with the bigger sporting events, and guests popping over to check scores and such.”

Chris agrees that the place already has a warm and welcoming vibe, saying, “We love looking out from the open kitchen and watching people take their first bite of something, watching them enjoy their meal.” That, he says, is the reward that makes all the hard work of running a restaurant worthwhile. 

Visit Odd Rabbit at 5863 Arapahoe Avenue in Boulder or reserve a table at odd-rabbit.com.