Poke Bowl – The Hawaiian version of sashimi
What is a Poke Bowl?
Good question! But firstly, just for those who think I’m talking about the kind of poke that someone needs when they are being annoying, this Poke is pronounced ‘po-kay’.
I nearly walked past ‘Da Poke Shack’ as it just looked like an every day fish and chip shop. But luckily for me, the amount of people going in and out made me inquisitive. Once inside I was very confused and had to ask “so what’s this all about?”. The lovely girl explained the concept to me:
- Take 1 Bowl
- Add an ice-cream scooper of some sort of sticky rice
- Add 2 scoops of Poke (cubed raw fish cured with a variety of dressing options). There’s a range of choices. I chose the ‘sesame’ and the ‘spicy aioli’ (“Pele’s Kiss”) ones. I recommend 2 scoops of the Pele’s Kiss… it was seriously good.
- Add 1 scoop of a side (this ranges from kimchi to teriyaki calamari to mussels to California roll salad… well, the list goes on). I had the California Roll Salad and it was like a taste explosion in my mouth!
- Add a sprinkle of something yummy on top of the rice. I don’t know what this stuff is called, but I’m told this is a combination of dried seaweed, sesame seeds and salt. Yum yum.
And you have yourself a… Poke Bowl!
Why Oh Why Isn’t the Poke EVERYWHERE!?
Forget Pokémon Go! This is the next big thing for sure! It’s healthy, freakin’ tasty, and portable enough to work for anyone (I took mine to the beach and enjoyed the view). But forget all that practical crap… it is seriously delicious and I’m hooked!
Where Do I Find this Delicious Poke Bowl?
I found Da Poke Shack out of chance on my first day in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. It’s at 76-6246 Ali’I Drive, Kailua-Kona (opposite My Hawaii Hostel). The Kona Trolley Bus stops right outside, so it’s well worth the trip.