Tasty Tuesday: Poke Bar
By Mollie Lambrecht, Events Intern
This week’s Tasty Tuesday features the Poké Bar located across the street from D.H. Hill library, under the 2604 Hillsborough Street apartments. If you’re in search of a quick and healthy meal that is personalized for your taste buds, this is the place to go!
You may ask “What is a poke bowl?” Well, it is a Hawaiian fare similar to traditional sushi, only its disassembled in a bowl rather than rolled. The dish is typically a bowl of rice, noodles, or greens combined with various fish, toppings and sauce. Each bowl is unique depending on your selected ingredients, which blend together for a perfectly crafted bowl bursting with flavor!
The structure and abundance of the menu may seem overwhelming to navigate, but with the help of the friendly staff, you’ll have your lunch prepared to your satisfaction within minutes! The steps are easy to follow - deciding between the numerous fresh ingredients and tasty possibilities the menu offers is the challenging part. Before you begin, you should gauge your hunger level and select a bowl size accordingly. The small bowl, which comes with a choice of one base, two proteins, two sides and endless toppings was the perfect size for my afternoon craving!
Starting at the base, you may choose between white rice, brown rice, mixed greens, tortilla chips or noodles. In my case, I chose white rice since it is light and its subtle flavor pairs well with just about anything! Next, you choose from various options of protein: tuna, salmon, spicy tuna, albacore, tofu, scallop, shrimp, and octopus. Then continue to select your mix-ins and sauces ranging from onions to jalapenos, pineapple to edamame, and an assortment of specialty sauces to spice things up! From here, the well-trained staff completes your personalized creation by mixing together the handpicked ingredients for a bowl of perfectly blended flavors. Finally, top off your bowl with delicious sides such as imitation crab, seaweed or cucumber salad, and then you’re all set!
After you’ve got your meal ready to go, you can enjoy it sitting inside the pleasantly modern and minimalist atmosphere, or at the outside tables to take in the Hillsborough Street action.
If you're feeling adventurous and want to let your imagination flow through food, check out the Poké Bar at 2604 Hillsborough Street any day between 10:00am – 9pm. You can always order online or call ahead whenever you’re in a rush or you just can’t wait to get a taste!