Poke Go

There seems to be a little revolution going on in LA and the OC.....poke, something I've eaten....well, being born and raised in Hawaii, basically all of my life has really gained a foot hold. Places like Poke District, North Shore Poke Company, Pokinometry, and of course Costco and Whole Foods, plus erstwhile food bloggers like Elmomonster, means that it's getting full coverage in the OC. It was only a matter of time until a shop specializing in poke opened here.......so, I wasn't surprised to read about one opening in Eater...though I'm not sure Hillcrest is the best location for it. Still, I was intrigued, so I headed up to Hillcrest to try out Poke Go.

Upon entering and seeing the owner; well, I cracked up. It was the guy who used to own Convoy Sushi and Fish Market, Moby Dick Fish Market & Grill, Ocean Harvest Seafood, etc....etc.... He does love creating new restaurants. The "concept" as he calls it, is quite simple, poke "bowls", called "platters" here, Korean influenced rice based dishes, as a quick stop is the objective. Select your fish, Ahi or Salmon (have you ever seen me eat salmon poke?), Rice (White or Brown) or Salad, and then your "spice" (aka da' sauce or seasoning), finally a "side" completes your "platter".

Of course, I went with the "Shoyu Hawaiian" style Ahi on White Rice with Mac (here called Tartar Macaroni) Salad. The menu price for this is $8.99, but during the grand opening period it's $7.99. So here's what I got.....

The first thought that entered my mind when I opened the cardboard carton was "wea's da fish"? This looked like a glorified seaweed salad with a few cubes of fish in it. There seemed to be maybe two ounces of fish in this thing. For the price, I didn't expect anything near, say what I make at home, or even what I make for the Missus. But it was decent, if not great quality fish. What I managed to pull out of the seaweed salad was on the bland side, nowhere near what anything in the islands is like. The sesame oil flavor permeated everything.

The "Tartar Macaroni" was terribly dry and not dressed enough as well.

I did return and to try the version with Kimchi sauce....."extra spicy" they said.

I will say that there was much more fish in this one. Plus, I really enjoyed (gasp) the brown rice; nice and nutty and it went well with the furikake. The fish was on the dry side and fairly bland as before; not too much "suji" (connective tissue), but still kind of chewy. It wasn't very spicy at all. There was kimchi at the bottom of the fish.....which looked like a lot; but one bite in and it was quite apparent that this was perhaps just a bit more than what I had previously.

I will say that the portion of "Kanikama" (surimi) was quite large, but I'd have appreciated a bit more effort in flavoring. I got full on that alone.

So here's what I think. If you don't mind getting full on rice, salad, and seaweed salad, with a few ounces of fish...then this will work for you. I'd gladly take it in place of a fastfood lunch. While this stuff would never fly back home. I've definitively had worse here in San Diego.

As to whether it's Poke "no" or Poke Go....well, you'll have to make up your mind yourself.

Poke Go
3614 5th Ave
San Diego, CA 92103

Comments

[kat]

eep! this looks and sounds bad...

[Sandy]

My excitement at a poke place in San Diego decreased as I read your post :-(

[Ken]

Pokinometry is spelling Poke as Poki and trying to apply the Hawaiian definition for Poke to his spelling Poki.

The Hawaiian definition for Poki is “dog” so if you go to Pokinometry for a bowl of poke they are serving you dog.

[Jason]

If the first, second, third, fourth, or fifth restaurant doesn't work, try try again! But yeah, it's doesn't look like there's much value in those meals, it's all filler.

[Kirk]

Hi Kat - It's not a good value....that's for sure.

Hey Sandy - Not quite Ono Seafood, huh?

Hi Ken - I always thought that dog was ilio in Hawaiian?

Lol Jason. This guy loves opening restaurants!

[Alan]

I wonder why these proprietors don't try their own food. Can't they tell if it is "dry" or "tasteless"? Needs more "salt"? WTH! Have they no tastebuds?

[Kirk]

Hi Alan - I don't think the owner has ever had "real" poke..... they used to serve a version at Moby Dick that used bettr qulaity fish, but basically had the same issues.

[nhbilly]

Just by the look of your picture I'd just stick with pokinometry very filling for a medium bowl.

[Green After the Rain]

Aww. That's not worth the trip for me then, I was so excited to read about a new poke place. For now, I guess I'll have to settle for poke from Homestyle Hawaiian in Clairemont.

I though I had too much poke when I was in Hawaii last year, but now I'm constantly looking for more not finding anything that even comes close.

[Kirk]

It's probably better to stick to almost anyplace else Billy!

Hi Sarah - I think you found out that there's no such thing as too much poke! ;o) Might as well get as much as you can when you're in Hawaii!

[Ken]

Aloha Kirk,
Copied from Hawaiian Dictionary; Hawaiian-English; English-Hawaiian Revised and Enlarged Edition by Mary Kawena Pukui and Samuel H. Elbert published by University of Hawaii Press; 1986; ISBN-13:978-0-8248-0703-0.
Page 338 definition of poki:
poki. 1. vs. Fine, as stitches or mesh; small, dainty, close
together. 2. (Cap.} n. General name for supernatural
dog after the time of Ka-mehameha I, said to have been
taken from the name of Ka-mehameha's favorite dog,
Boss (Eng.), which was deified and worshipped; name
of a supernatural dog on Kaua'i, said to have owned
land at Lawa'i and Wahi-awa (Beckwith, 1970, p. 573).
According to some, any supernatural animal. 3. See
hale poki. 4. Also bosi. boss. Eng. 5. n. Boat. Eng. /pu
poki, oval dish. Huelopoki, whaleboat.

[Kirk]

So you mean a "diety in the form of a dog or any animal"......eating that might be good! Not "a mutt".... I took a couple of years of Hawaiian in school.....not that I remember much, but I do know basic animals. I think popoki actually means cat.....

[kat]

yup ilio is dog in Hawaiian

[Kirk]

Yeah, that's what I recall too Kat.

[Ken]

Kirk,

A dog is a dog even if Poki is the name of King Kamehameha I most favorite dog to me or if it is super natural or a deity in the form of a dog. If you go on Pokinometry website pokinometry.com/ they are using the Hawaiian definition for poke and trying to apply it to poki which is totally wrong.

[Kirk]

So Ken - You're going to have a nervous breakdown when Pokirrito opens up...

http://mmm-yoso.typepad.com/mmmyoso/2015/08/saturday-stuffs-rakiraki-taking-over-a-cafe-spot-yus-garden-and-other-stuffs.html

http://sandiego.eater.com/2015/8/25/9206601/rakiraki-ramen-opening-new-poke-concept-pokirrito-sandiego#4817486

LOL.....

[jack]

oh how i long for a taniokas, ono seafood, alicia's, etc here in san diego.

[Kirk]

Oh man, Tanioka's......Ono Seafood...anything close would be really welcomed Jack!

[Faye]

I like the furikake on top of the brown rice. I like salmon over ahi so salmon poke works for me when I can find it. Have you tried the poke at Marukai? Recently bought the salmon and also tried the tuna poke. Both weren't very good.

[Kirk]

As a whole, I don't buy prepackaged poke Faye. Even back home in Hawaii. I'll buy it at the deli counter, but not pre-packaged stuff. And I'd never have poke from a aplce where I wouldn't buy fish.