Say Aloha to poke — a sort of sushi salad in a bowl. Poke (pronounced: poke-ay) means “chunk” in Hawaiian, referring to the cubed chunks of raw fish that are the main ingredient. “It’s like a deconstructed sushi roll in a bowl,” said poke fan Zach Friedlander.
Friedlander, a Deerfield native, is part of the team that just opened the new poke outpost Aloha Poke Co. in the Chicago French Market. Commuters can now grab poke on the go. And the poke-only menu here is evidence that the surf is up on this Polynesian trend.
Poke is everywhere as more and more chefs are finding new ways to bring sushi together with other ingredients like pineapple, edamame and, of course, rice. Here are five places where poke is making a splash.
Aloha Poke Co.
Chicago French Market Suite #19, 131 N. Clinton St., Chicago
Since Aloha Poke Co. opened several weeks ago in the Chicago French Market, suburban commuters can now grab poke on the go. The menu includes house poke bowls and build-your-own options. You can choose from ingredients like ginger, scallions, macadamia nuts, edamame, seaweed and Maui onions. Friedlander’s favorite is a combination of brown rice, marinated ahi tuna and salmon. “I love the tenderness of the salmon and the buttery goodness of our ahi in the same bite,” he said. He loves it with spicy aioli, sweet samurai sauce and pineapple. “The pineapple adds a great citrus component that brightens the bowl,” Friedlander said. Japanese fried onion bits on top give it some crunch. “Orange, black and green tobiko (fish roe) on top adds texture. Trifecta,” he added.
Yard House
1880 Tower Drive, Glenview, www.YardHouse.com
Yard House Corporate Executive Chef Carlito Jocson first experienced poke on Hawaii’s Big Island. It was served with some dried shrimp and poi. “I think the poke trend is right up the alley of healthful eating with an adventurous bent,” Jocson said. A mainland pioneer, he put poke on the menu at Yard House in 1999. “It was great way to utilize raw tuna in a different way at the time even though poke can be made with other types of fish,” he said.
Today, the poke at Yard House is stacked on two crisp wonton squares with daikon radish and carrot sesame oil slaw. The poke is mixed with soy, wakame seaweed, sambal oelek (a chili paste) and green onions. It is served with avocado and a wasabi soy sauce. “It’s fresh tuna with a slight punch of spice from the sambal oelek. It has a fresh crunchy slaw with nutty sesame oil, creamy avocado and the soy wasabi gives another layer of salt,” Jocson said.
Stacked and Folded
551 Lincoln Ave., Winnetka, http://bit.ly/22LgdXg
At Stacked and Folded in Winnetka, chef partners Lindsey Lauter and Josh Keating came up with an idea for ahi tuna poke tacos. They are made with fresh ahi poke, cold cabbage cilantro-citrus slaw, cucumbers and creamy avocado. The ingredients are all packaged neatly in a crispy taco wonton taco shell. It’s topped with wasabi cream and served with a slice of lime. “It’s a light, bright fresh taco with a Hawaiian twist,” Lauter said.
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Makisu Sushi Lounge and Grill
7150 Carpenter Road, Skokie, www.MakisuSushi.com
The ahi tune poke at Makisu Sushi Lounge and Grill in Skokie is a salad made with diced yellowfin tuna marinated in a mix of chili oil, soy sauce, sriracha and masago, which is roe of capelin, an Atlantic and Arctic fish. Then the fish is mixed with Makisu’s blended spicy house-made seaweed salad and everything comes together over a bed of thinly sliced cucumber arranged on the plate in a circle. “It’s a fresh, mouth-watering flavor with a hint of citrus and a spicy kick,” General Manager Mike Myint said. “The texture is soft accompanied with a crunchy smooth seaweed salad.”
Kansaku
1514 Sherman Ave., Evanston, www.KansakuSushi.com
The tuna poke at Kansaku in Evanston is made with Asian spicy sesame oil (called rayu) and infused poke sauce. Grated ginger, Asian spices and ponzu sauce add flavor. The poke is served with Kansaku’s house Asian salsa, which is made with tomato, red onion, avocado, lime juice and hint of salt. Chef Yoon Jae Kim tops the poke with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar extract. The poke is served with taro chips — of course. “Our poke is sweet, spicy and sour from the poke sauce. It’s buttery from the avocado, and refreshing from the tomato, red onion and ahi tuna,” Kim said.
Ahi Poke Bites and more are on the agenda for a class that Sur la Table in Northbrook will teach on Hawaiian style entertaining on April 12. Go to http://bit.ly/1SqELlZ.