Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Christian Talli didn’t read a manual or take a class to learn how to roll sushi. He didn’t peer over a seasoned sushi roller’s shoulder and learn hands on. Talli, who recently opened Spostas Sushi restaurant in Steamboat Springs, learned most of his current sushi tricks on YouTube.

“I am YouTube trained,” he said as he watched his sole employee, Luke Gordon, prepare a spicy tuna roll for a customer Tuesday. The roll featured yellowfin tuna, scallions and a spicy sauce.

One doesn’t have to look far down the Spostas menu to order a sushi roll without fish. Between the rice and seaweed, the cheeseburger roll features ground beef and either pepper jack or cheddar cheese, and the strip roll features a medium-rare piece of New York strip, carrots, and ginger Teriyaki.

“There’s a large misconception in sushi that it has to be raw fish,” Talli said. “When I make sushi at home, I usually take whatever I have in the fridge and roll it in seaweed and rice.”

One of his goals for the restaurant, besides offering unconventional ingredients, is to make sushi affordable.

“I would like to make it more than a birthday gift,” he said. “You should be able to have it more than once or twice a year.”

Spostas, which lends its name to the slang merging of the words “supposed” and “to,” opened June 28 and serves sushi deli-style. Customers can mix and match meats, vegetables, and a variety of sauces as they watch their meal prepared in front of them.

Talli was inspired to open his own sushi place after he catered his deli-style sushi for a 20-person birthday party. When he’s not working for the Steamboat Springs Parks, Open Space and Recreational Services Department, he’s at his restaurant, helping roll sushi and make deliveries.

“I’ll make the sushi and jump on my bike and deliver it,” he said.

Gordon, who helped Talli open the restaurant, had never rolled sushi before starting the job. Gordon was intrigued by the idea of using unconventional meats in sushi.

“Putting a nice piece of steak in a sushi roll is definitely something that caught my attention,” Gordon said. “You can even put a little bit of apple in it, and it turns out great.”

Spostas is behind Old West Steak House at 11th Street and Lincoln Avenue. There is no dining room, so it is carry-out or delivery only.

— To reach Scott Franz, call 871-4210 or e-mail scottfranz@steamboatpilot.com