Originally aired on YPR’s Flavors Under the Big Sky
Ensconced in the back of the old Bozeman Hotel is Izakaya Three Fish, the sushi restaurant owned by Chef Paul Naugle, this year’s James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Best Chef: Mountain. There is no sign to the restaurant that has two seatings from Thursday to Sunday nights. At 5:30 and 8:00 p.m. eight people at each time receive the honor of being served an omakase, chef’s choice, style meal. The counter dining allows for watching Chef Paul craft his sushi and sashimi, and mixologist Maddi Honnold assemble her cocktails.
Izakaya Three Fish refers to Paul Naugle as fish number one while Honnold is the second fish. In September, the team lost Travis Lang who helped open the restaurant in 2018. Earlier during the COVID pandemic, business partner Lance DeSilva who had worked with Naugle at the Montana Fish Company parted ways…