Marcus Stark (left) and Paul Naugle (right) share a laugh with guests during a dinner service.
An Omakase Meal with Izakaya Three Fish
This unforgettable omakase experience can be easy to miss. The entrance to the small restaurant is unassuming, but between Pub 317 and The Pour House in downtown Bozeman rests Izakaya Three Fish. The restaurant’s design is inspired by Japanese eateries located within subway stations and blends seamlessly into the fabric of the structure’s surroundings at 321 E. Main St. Through an unmarked door are the first steps to a meal that transports diners to a completely different culinary landscape, far away from land-locked Montana.
Omakase is a series of small courses that the diner trusts the chef to select. The word izakaya references the laid-back pub-like establishments in Japan, which are increasing in popularity across the globe. These restaurants bring together a wide range of delicious small plates and drinks served to share.
With this ethos, Izakaya Three Fish allows diners sitting just a few hundred feet off Main Street the opportunity to appreciate the splendor of the ocean’s bounty. The intricate flavors and textures that come from beneath and above the waves are served up in ways that appeal to the eyes as well as the taste buds: food that is as beautiful as it is delicious.
The bar itself is the focal point of the room, bottles of fine spirits, sake, curated shot glasses, and sushi plates displayed in the backdrop. There are just 10 seats that line the bar’s front, leaving the center stage to Paul Naugle, Marcus Stark, and Maddi Honnold. Part of the fun in eating at Izakaya Three Fish is sitting in the front row, chatting with the chefs and other diners, watching Naugle and Stark grate fresh wasabi and wield sharp knives to slice the freshest of seafood.
Naugle is the head chef—or lead singer, as this crew has some good punk-rock energy. He has more than 20 years of experience working with sushi, including training with traditional Japanese chefs. Naugle has found his own expression and voice and at the same time honors the traditions he learned from his teachers.
Menu offerings are guided by seasonality, with the highest regard for quality and creativity. (Yes, fish also have seasons.) Unlike many sushi bars, Naugle personally orders whole fresh fish and seafood and picks it up daily from the Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport. The fish are flown on passenger planes rather than cargo since the former arrive more frequently and facilitate a faster trip from sea to plate.
Naugle plans each night’s fare as he cleans fish just picked up from baggage claim. He holds a standard of purchasing fresh, never-frozen fish, and is able to pivot at the last minute when a shipment does not arrive.
The omakase experience typically unfolds in a progression of courses at Izakaya Three Fish, ranging anywhere from 12 to 20 courses in a sitting. Though the team has a few favorites that have become menu staples, dishes are ever-changing and it’s not all seafood. Omakase is a Japanese dining adventure where the chef showcases a variety of the freshest seasonal ingredients. The word omakase translates to “I’ll leave it up to you”—or “chef ’s choice.” Though nigiri is among the menu regulars, other dishes may include noodles, salads, soups, and various appetizers.
Stark has worked with Naugle for nine years, picking up seafood and preparing food. Both Naugle and Stark present dishes directly to their guests and provide insight into the ingredients and preparation methods. This style of dining creates fun interactions with the chefs, lets them share their stories, and gives them an opportunity to answer questions about food that Montanans might be less accustomed to seeing.
For the lucky eater sitting at one of the 10 bar stools, this is an immersive experience. One that celebrates aspects of Japanese cuisine, the vast culinary encounters that the ocean provides, and Naugle’s decades of expertise and expression as a chef. Think spicy octopus with Icelandic yogurt, cilantro oil, and mint; ika (squid) with shiso and umeboshi salt; cucumber seaweed sunomono with crispy salmon skin; or smoked trout roe, shiro soy, and negi gunkan.
Honnold enhances the whole experience with her bartending expertise. With a background in sustainable crop production and plant science, her mixed drinks and knowledge of sake round out the evening. Between making homemade cocktail cherries or sourcing shiso (a culinary herb in the mint family that is widely used in Japanese cuisine), she’ll mix or serve drinks that perfectly complement the meals.
Though the sea, and certainly Japan, aren’t anywhere near the Rocky Mountains, having a place to go and touch the briny ocean to your lips brings so much more than just a full belly. Exposure and delight, laughter and conversation, curiosity and community are foundations of izakaya establishments, and Izakaya Three Fish won’t disappoint.
- Izakaya Three Fish is open Thursday to Sunday with seating at 5 and 7:30 p.m. Reservations are required and can be made by texting (406) 219-1259.
