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For more information on Chef Rassallat’s impressive resumé and a full, detailed breakdown of the menu, please go to the website here. Influencer Tatiana Ringsby, was born and raised on Maui and splits her time between LA and Hawaii. I live vicariously through her beautiful Maui vlogs and whenever she posts a photo of poke on her Instagram stories, I always have to take a screenshot of it. Yes, I’m a little too obsessed with poke and I get nostalgic whenever I come across an Instagram post of Hawaii. Even before opening time there will be a line, which is why I can’t emphasize enough to get there as early as you can.
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I did not pay for the poke bowls, but this is my honest unbiased review. This place was my first introduction to real Hawaiian poke and it was a complete game-changer. My first visit was in early 2017, way before my very first trip to Hawaii. A girl I went to school with, who lived in Redondo Beach, couldn’t stop raving about this place. My first time there, I remember being shocked at my complete lack of agency in choosing my toppings, but I was also pleasantly surprised by how delicious it was.
Eight Great New-School Poké Places in Los Angeles
I just succumbed to the greatness of the bowl that made me feel like I was in poke heaven. If I could eat just one thing for the rest of my life, it would be Poke. This Hawaiian dish has been served for centuries but it reached its popularity on the mainland in 2015. That year, the poke trend was at its full peak in Southern California and became a huge Instagram food sensation.
AÇAI HOUSE BOWL
What I love about this place is that they really emphasize the quality of the fish they serve. Lines have been long since day one for this Santa Monica poké shop, which skews a bit more gourmet than the rest and has prices to match. When I walked in, the first thing that struck me was how the employee was grinding the lettuce, which is always a great sign that the ingredients are fresh. I wasn’t that hungry so I ordered the kid’s size bowl, which gives you the option to pick one protein and three toppings of your choice.
The sauces are the star of the show, so ask him questions if you’re curious! You will not find these array of sauces anywhere else, like the Leche De Tigre sauce, inspired by the famous traditional marinade used in Peruvian ceviche. Chef Rassallat’s creativity combined with his years of expertise and knowledge of ingredients make this place like no other. I couldn’t believe this hole-in-the-wall poke joint was only 20 minutes away from Newport Beach!
Coincidentally, I moved here in 2015 and throughout the following years, I have seen poke joints pop up in almost every LA neighborhood like cold pressed juice bars. 2 fishes, a scoop of crab salad and 3 toppings is under $10 at Poke N Roll, making it one of the cheapest of the new crop of poke places. But what they lack in fish quality they make up for with unique cooked options like kara-age and tempura plus a wide array of one-of-a-kind sauces like soy mustard and honey miso. Quinoa and kale also make an appearance at this West Hollywood shop, but unlike some of the others this poke is pre-mixed so there's no getting rid of it. Each order comes with one side (edamame, seaweed salad, spicy edamame or cucumber salad) and for extra $$ you can get add ons like chia, mango and blueberry (when in season), and crispy garlic. I like Kawamata Seafood better than Bear Flag because the poke bowl is served Hawaiian-style and it has an undeniable, more authentic, no-frills vibe that is ever-present at Hawaiian poke places.
House Salmon
Whatever conclusion you come to, there's now a poké option in practically every neighborhood in L.A. Meaning you shouldn't have to go far next time the craving hits for that ono ahi bowl. Here's a map of all eight new Los Angeles poké places, from Venice to Pasadena, listed alphabetically. Each item had its own distinctive seasoning so eating them one after the other, made my taste buds explode with flavor.
Sweetfin wins strategic investment from Italy-based Poke House - Nation's Restaurant News
Sweetfin wins strategic investment from Italy-based Poke House.
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Living in Southern California comes with the perks of having a plethora of poke places to choose from. While certainly you won’t get the same eating experience as if you were in Hawaii, luckily there are a few places that are pretty close to it. I was completely surprised by his vehement enthusiasm and outstanding customer service skills with everyone that walked in, especially the regulars. One man who was also dining in said he drove all the way from Newport Beach just for this poke!
I also included places in Orange County and San Diego County. As my search for Hawaiian-style poke joints in Southern California deepened, I kept coming across more places that were the perfect excuse to go on a jaunt. If you had told me that San Diego county is a hub for fresh fish and amazing poke a month ago, I would have looked at you in utter disbelief.
Or you can take charge and build your own combo from jarred toppings like crispy onions and furikake. The salmon was pure freshness and the sauce was deliciously tangy. The onions had the perfect crispiness and did not overpower the rest of the ingredients. The seaweed and the cucumber did an exceptional job in balancing out the bowl.
The menu is split between the Chef’s menu, which you cannot modify because these are made with his special recipe, and the build-your-own option. If you’re having doubts, you can ask him questions and let him know your sauce and fish preferences. If you’re the kind of person who likes onions but prefers not to have stinky onion breath for the rest of the day, their special crispy onions won’t linger in your mouth afterwards. Hands-down, my all-time favorite poke style is their California roll. Also, just like in Hawaii, you can buy the poke by the pound and the fish is seasoned to perfection.
By doing this, the color of the fish is altered and people can’t tell. Many customers that walk in confuse it with Poke Bar and are dumbstruck when they find out Sea Salt is a different beast. However, I drove by last summer and I remember seeing a huge line for Poke Pola, which is smack dab in the middle of 2nd Street. But since they didn’t do poke Hawaiian-style, I completely overlooked it. Then one Sunday when I happened to be in the area craving poke, instead of heading over to Hawaiian-poke joints in Long Beach like Poke More, I went ahead and finally tried Poke Pola.
Nevertheless, what makes these places so unique from what you can find at other poke chains is the attention and the quality that goes into the fish. At Seasalt Poke in Santa Monica, the owner, who is also a chef, wakes up at ungodly hours of the morning to pick up the freshest fish. Another impetus that led me to write about poke is that most LA poke guides on Google are at least four years old. My extensive search for the best poke bowls doesn’t stop in LA County.
It’s totally worth the drive on a weekend to enjoy the beauty of San Juan Capistrano or Dana Point afterwards. I am stunned by the fact that by searching “The Best Poke in Orange County” on Google, only one blog so far mentions Kawamata. At Kawamata Seafood, the seating, just like in Hawaii, is very limited. Despite this, you can enjoy your poke at Capistrano Beach Park, which is a 3-minute drive away from Kawamata and enjoy your poke with this view. Become part of our community to experience a bowl free every 10th and lots of benefits.
If you want to venture further down the I-5 freeway for a one-day road trip, these are the places you have to go for a fresh, mouthwatering poke bowl. I guess it makes sense since a few of the most famous surf spots in California are located in North County San Diego. I did a very thorough review of Bear Flag in my post “The best restaurants and Coffee shops in Orange County”. I ordered their poke salmon to-go from their Newport Beach location and the quality of the fish was beyond my expectations. For every strip mall in Orange County, there is at least one poke bar. An indicator that a place is good is when you can see the fresh fish on display, and that’s one of the main reasons Bear Flag won me over.
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