Shohko Cafe

Shohko CafÔö£┬« is one of Santa Fe's premier restaurants and a local institution. Ask any local and they'll tell you, for the freshest sushi and organic Japanese food, for the most innovative, modern Japanese specialties and for the best premium sake selection in New Mexico, Shohko CafÔö£┬« is the only place to go.

Located downtown just paces from the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum and only a few blocks away from the new Santa Fe Community Convention Center, Shohko and Hiro Fukuda opened Shohko CafÔö£┬« in 1975 as a small bistro serving healthy Japanese food with a macrobiotic bent. Five years later, at the forefront of an increasing national health consciousness, Shohko CafÔö£┬« moved to its current, larger location and opened New Mexico's first sushi bar. Housed in a former 19th century bordello with 3-feet thick adobe walls and original vigas, the restaurant's dÔö£┬«cor fuses simple Japanese and Northern New Mexican design elements. Organically curved doorways and whitewashed walls mingle with the warmth of hand-hewn tables and chairs, light fixtures, rice paper and willow screens, and sunken nichos with Japanese river rocks and baby aspen branches--all made by Hiro's hand. As always, Shohko's personally arranged fresh flowers, locally bought or cut from her flower garden, brighten the tabletops and hallways.

Some of Shohko's specialties include green chile tempura, invented in the mountains of La Madera and inspired by the popular New Mexican chile relleno. Green chile tempura can be found in several of Shohko's original creations, including the Santa Fe Roll, a delightful green chile marriage with shrimp tempura and avocado. The freshest sushi in town rivaling any fresh fish found on either coast; modern takes on traditional favorites such as teriyaki and tempura; macrobiotic dishes such as soba and hijiki; organic "Washu-gyu" Kobe Beef tenderloin and organic tofu, miso, soy sauce and sea salt--all can be enjoyed at the acclaimed Shohko CafÔö£┬«.