So I’ve never met a poke bowl I didn’t like. There’s just something about the soft but soft chewy texture and pungent flavor that I love and yeah you may be thinking what is there to love about chewy pungent flavors but please trust me on this, poke is LIT! So when I was invited to try out a new poke restaurant “Poke Me” I couldn’t say yes fast enough!
With 4 locations around Los Angeles, I decided to hit up the newest at the Heritage Plaza Shopping Center-Irvine. I got a Chipotle vibe in that the bowl is built for you and you choose the toppings that you want to include, and can I tell you they had choices even my poke loving self had never imagined would work in a poke bowl, I’m talking next level stuff – Seaweed, Roasted Garlic, Sesame Shoyu, Truffle Ponzu, and 2 different types of crab meat! It’s safe to say I went overboard…
If you’re looking to spice up your life, Poke Me has many options to make your bowl hot and delicious. I suggest picking rice (brown or white) as your base, then adding two scoops of spicy crab meat, one scoop of spicy albacore, and one scoop of tuna to mix with white onion, cilantro, cucumber, and add their brand new Sweet Habanero sauce, currently the spiciest sauce on their menu. Add jalapenos, wasabi, and sesame seeds and you’ve got yourself a Spicy Habanero Bowl!
What I love about Poke Me is that aside from the bowls they also have gluten-free macaron ice cream in like 6 different flavors no less!
I learned after chatting up the manager that Poke Me’s humble beginnings can be traced to Los Angeles resident and long-time sushi chef Seungmin (Min) Choi’s appreciation for bright, unique flavors of seafood, and that along with his vision to create a restaurant that would deliver quality taste and freshness at a price that won’t break the bank was how the idea behind Poke Me was born. Then, after linking up with a pair of experienced restaurateurs with the know-how to execute Min’s vision, Poke Me’s first location was born in 2016.
If you’re poke foodie like me or you’re looking to get ahead of what’s sure to be the next “thing” in LA go down and try Poke Me.
So people tell me, how do you like your poke? I’d love to know in the comments below.
That place was delicious. Lots of fresh ingredients to add to your bowl. I tried pineapple which I’ve never added to a poke bowl before. It totally hit the spot. Can’t wait to go again, Wint.
I loved the roasted garlic! I want to add that to everything I eat now!