Poke is diced raw fish served in various ways. There are multiple marinades, seasonings and side dishes. It is a main dish of Hawaiian cuisine, and its delicious when done right. In Hawaii, I always make a point to have as much poke as possible.
Recently, I tried two places in Vancouver that specialize in Poke. Lets see how they stack up. First, there was Steve’s Poke Bar in Metrotown. We had the “Mayo Spice Me Up” which contains:
“Spicy Mayo Salmon, hawaiian seasoning (furikake), tobiko, corn, edamame, imitation crab, wakame seaweed salad, pickled ginger, sesame seeds and Steve’s Spicy Mayo drizzled on top.” Absolutely delicious. The fish was seasoned perfectly and the heat level was perfect. Everything was fresh and went well together. The only improvement would be the rice, a bit mushy. Also, you get everything pictured below, for $14.50.
The second place I tried the next day was The Poke Guy. I ordered from the downtown location on Uber Eats. I was very excited about this as the menu looked more like what you would see in Hawaii – spam musubi, “plate lunch” and even island names like “Broke Da Mouth”. First, the musubi. If you don’t know, this is basically spam nigiri. I love it. If you are in Hawaii, you will find this everywhere including in gas stations, grocery stores and convenience stores. They are a handy and delicious snack. The one from The Poke Guy was delicious:
Unfortunately, their poke was disappointing. I ordered the Traditional Hawaiian Poke Plate which came with 4 proteins and two scoops of furikake rice. The ahi and sockeye were under seasoned. The spicy scallops had no spice. The only thing that was well marinated was the spicy tuna. Also, you have to pay extra for each additional topping you add, and some items, I felt, were overpriced, like $1.50 for scallions.
Overall, of these two places, I would choose Steve’s to go back to, and will continue the hunt for other Poke places in Vancouver.