Poké – Hawaiian Fish Dish Meets Sushi

A Bright and colorful new way to do sushi

Let’s start with the name. The first thing you have to know about the visually appealing, traditional Hawaiian dish is that it’s pronounced “poh-kay,” which you may have known if you’ve visited Hawaii or Los Angeles.

This traditional Hawaiian appetizer has been major in island food culture, and poké is rapidly becoming a trendy dish as it integrates itself into menus across America and, more recently, the UK! In fact, there’s even a popular little pop-up eatery in London that captures the essence of the playful dish.

Based out of London, Eat Poké puts a modern take on the traditional Hawaiian dish, filling its bowls with stunning vibrant colors such as reds, oranges, greens, and white as they’re composed of chopped raw fish on a bed of rice, garnished with various vegetables, sesame seeds, and soy sauce. We actually got a chance to explore Eat Poké through a Q&A with founders/owners, Celia Farrar and Guy Jackson, who also presented us with these beautiful images of their stunning dishes.

VIE: What was your first experience with poké and when did you know you wanted to be “in business” with it?

EAT POKÉ: We first had poké on Venice Beach in Los Angeles in 2013. We loved the taste and the concept and started recipe testing on our friends back in the UK. We were really passionate about the dish, so when we had the opportunity to serve it at a street-food market in London in spring 2015, we jumped at the chance.

VIE: Your poké bowls stand out in that they are so visually fresh and vibrantly appealing. Did you plan on delivering a delicious dish that was as equally stunning to look at? Were aesthetic and color profile on your mind in your menu development?

EAT POKÉ: When developing our dishes, flavour profile and freshness is our first consideration. Both myself and Guy have come from design backgrounds, however (fashion and graphics respectively), so we really enjoy the process of creating visually appealing dishes. How we plate up each dish really helps, and we love how vibrant our pink beetroot pickled corn looks against our seaweed salad or inky black rice. Luckily it tastes great, too!

VIE: Although poké has been around a long time, it seems to be gaining popularity and attention as the “fresh new way to do sushi.” Why do you think that is?

EAT POKÉ: When I first had poké in LA it was still a relatively unknown dish outside of Hawaii, but in the past year there have been a number of poké restaurants open in the city, as well as in New York. Sushi has become really loved by people in the US and UK who enjoy very fresh and healthy food, and poké can be seen as an extension of that. The really great thing about poké is its laid-back feel as a dish—generally served in a bowl, you can customise it with a whole variety of add-ons. We have served ours on black rice, kelp noodles, with seaweed, with kale, and topped with nuts, pickles, and avocado. The most important part of poké is sourcing the absolute freshest fish possible, but after this it is kind of up to you!

VIE: For those who are new to poké, what are your recommendations and best sellers? Also, like sushi, is there a vegetarian option or vegan option you offer?

EAT POKE: My recommendation would be to try either our salmon or tuna in our classic shoyu marinade—flavours you recognise but done in a different way. I would also add Macadamia nuts for crunch! We also offer our Coral Tofu Poké for vegetarians and vegans: tofu with soy-pickled shiitake and a sweet miso dressing.

VIE: Where on the streets of London can we find your pop-up eatery?

EAT POKE: We trade regularly with Kerb and Street Feast. We also have a few exciting pop-ups to be be confirmed in the pipeline. Best bet is to follow us on our social media channels-

In the mood for some poké now? We are too! It’s not too hard to invent your own poké at home. Celia and Guy were kind enough to supply us with an amazing recipe and advice on how to create and serve your own poké. Of course, we also recommend you visit them at their pop-up eatery when you get a chance, as their dishes are unbelievably spectacular!

Shoyu Poké with Pickled Cucumbers

Serves two

Ingredients

150g (about 2/3 cup) Freshest quality fish you can source. Yellowfin tuna (Ahi) is a traditional choice, while Scottish salmon or sea bream are great British alternatives

Marinade: 

1 tablespoon traditionally brewed soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon freshly minced ginger

2 sliced spring onions

Black and white sesame seeds

Quick pickled cucumbers:

1/2 cucumber thinly sliced

30ml (1 ounce) rice wine vinegar

1.5 tablespoons granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

To serve:

120g (1/2 cup) short grain rice cooked as per instructions

Rice wine vinegar to season

Furikake, a traditional Japanese rice seasoning of sesame seeds, seaweed and ground fish

Begin by making the cucumbers: sprinkle sliced cucumbers with salt and set aside for 10 minutes to draw out water. Combine vinegar with sugar and a pinch of salt. Rinse cucumbers before combining with marinade. Pickle will be ready to eat in 30 minutes.

Cut fish into neat cubes. Toss in soy and sesame oil to coat fish and add remaining marinade ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Pile fish on top of a mound of rice, sprinkle with Furikake and serve with the pickled cucumber.

We like to top our poké with seaweed, slices of avocado, or toasted Macadamia nuts for crunch.

Many, many thanks to Celia and Guy for your time and for spreading the joy in sharing a recipe with us! We cannot thank you enough. Of course, we can’t wait to go to London and enjoy one of your delicious poké bowls!

Want more from Eat Poké? Follow them on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and/or their website!