You might have seen pictures of LA’s newest food obsession all over social media. Poke evolved from a casual Hawaiian dish into a trendy rice bowl that has become the center of attention. For those of you who are hopping onto the bandwagon, poke is a Hawaiian raw-fish salad. However, restaurants are modernizing it by adding different fish and topping options.
Poke Salad Bar
Being the first place I tried, I was skeptical about the build-your-own idea. However, I was surprised at how well the flavors worked together. The restaurant, located on Colorado Boulevard a few doors west of the Apple store, had a lot of open space and a classy, modern feel to it. The servers were extremely patient and were happy to help out.
With prices ranging from $9-12, they offer three different bowl sizes and ordering takes five simple steps. I ordered a small bowl with cucumber, brown rice, seaweed, imitation crab, sesame shoyu, salmon and Ahi tuna. I was quite surprised by the large portion size and despite all the different options I chose, all the flavors came together nicely. However, I found that the sesame shoyu sauce was too sweet. Although the many different options many seem intimidating at first, with the friendly staff and easy-to-read menu, this is a great place to visit if you’re looking for a quick yet fresh meal. Due to the great food and inviting environment, Poke Salad Bar was by far my favorite.
Spinfish Poke House
Spinfish Poke House, located off Colorado Boulevard down Mills Place, in Old Town Pasadena is definitely worth the try. The interior was a bustling store with a friendly environment. Although the menu may be overwhelming at first, the friendly staff along with Spinfish’s signature bowls are a great start for poké beginners.
I decided to go with the staff’s recommendation of the banzai bowl, which consisted of a noodle base, avocado, lemon zest, green onion and salmon. Every bite had a tangy yet sweet taste that left me wanting for more. They stepped up their game by adding lemon zest which emphasized the flavor of the salmon and added an extra kick. I would recommend trying out this restaurant to those who are looking for fast service and a savory dish.
Pokemix by Flour + Tea
Unlike most poke restaurants which serve exclusively poke, Flour + Tea offers other food options besides poke. Although they don’t focus their entire menu around poke, they do prepare a fantastic dish. This restaurant, located at 99 South Lake Avenue, south of Colorado Boulevard had an atmosphere that is great for hanging out with riends.
At Flour + Tea, their bowls starts at around $11 and I got a small bowl with salmon, sesame sauce and onions. Although I did add the sesame sauce, the salmon tasted bland since Flour + Tea doesn’t marinate the fish beforehand. Despite the blandness, I did enjoy the bowl in general. Flour + Tea does offer great discounts and serves amazing deserts along with their flavored teas. If you’re looking for a great place to relax with many food choices, I definitely recommend trying Flour + Tea.