Where To Eat Poke In New York City
What is Poke and how has it gotten so popular? Its origins come from Hawaii and the poke itself is translated to fish salad. Traditional poke is often eaten on its own or can be eaten over a bowl of rice- sort of like sushi but in a bowl. The Hawaiian dish has made its way over to the continental US and in major cities like New York and L.A, it has become a huge trend for healthy eating. Here are some of our favorites.
Pokee
Recently opened in late 2016, this newly ocean-themed restaurant captures the soul of Hawaii. The eatery was inspired by the experience of eating Poke in Hawaii as well as the islands itself. The founder and owner, Sa Wang, was an event planner before she opened the restaurant and having fallen in love with the islands, she was determined to bring the vibes of Hawaii to New York. Besides fish, the menu also includes a choice of tofu or chicken.
Noreetuh
A Hawaiian restaurant in East Village, the goal was to create a place where diners can eat deliciously crafted food with a list of over 200 wines selected from France. Enjoy menu items such as big-eye tuna poke starter, made with macadamia nut, pickled jalapeño, and seaweed or a main dish such as spam agnolotti made with truffle cream, pickled celery, burgundy truffles. But don’t let the ingredients scare you! The word Noreetuh comes from Korea which means playground, much like the fun and playful menu dishes.
Wisefish
Opened in early 2016 by Drew Crane and Bryan Cowan in Chelsea, Wisefish is a build-your-own-bowl restaurant that celebrates healthy eating as well as responsibly-sourced seafood. The atmosphere is totally laid-back from its succulents centered inside the iconic Thanksgiving-long table. They serve house favourites such as West Swell and Hawaiian Style and a starring bowl which is a special that changes every month.
Sons of Thunder
West Coast inspired cuisine meets New York street foods in this glassed ceiling restaurant. Besides getting poke here, diners can also get a hot dog if they’re craving it. While it is unorthodox, eaters continue to come back for the fresh and made-to-order dishes and hand-spun shakes with flavours like Strawberry and nutella or Sprecher's Root Beer Float.
Chikarashi
A blend of Hawaiian poke and Japanese influenced chirashi is what you can find at Chikarashi. Chirashi is a Japanese dish meaning ‘scattered’ and similar to poke, chirashi is a mix of fish, vegetables, and other toppings over rice. A simple, minimalist shop located in Chinatown as well as the newly opened Nomad, you can find poke here with tuna, bluefin fish, or fresh water eel. For dessert, have yourself a Dole Whip in a mini pineapple!