“Hawaii†is the 50th state of the United States and is known as the Pacific Ocean's paradise on earth. Hawaii, where various races live and where various cultures naturally blend together, also shows unique characteristics in food. It has the character of a melting pot where food cultures from all over the world are fused into one. Among Hawaii's representative foods, “poke†is popular in Korea along with the wellness craze. Poke, which has the meaning of “cutting ingredients into a square shape†in the Hawaiian language, is a dish in which fish is cut into cubes and grated with dressing, vegetables, and rice. It is a food similar to Korean sashimi rice bowl, and can be seen as a healthy salad bowl that is easy to prepare and has both simplicity and nutrients.
I think the origin of poke is that fishermen cut a bunch of pieces of fish and put them on top of rice and ate them with soy sauce. In the 1970s, they began adding ingredients such as vegetables, nuts, and seaweed one by one, and it began to look like what we like to eat today. In modern times, they are adding a variety of ingredients such as acu poke (bonito), ahi poke (tuna), and hee poke (octopus) to add to the fun of picking and eating. Here are 5 of the best healthy and tasty Hawaiian poke restaurants, looking forward to the day when you can freely travel to Hawaii, a heavenly island where the blue sky, emerald sea, and hot sun cheers, will come soon.
Poke restaurants include Seoul Apgujeong Dosan Park Little Neck, Apgujeong Dosan Park Bowl Room, Gwanghwamun Hillside Table, Yeonnam-dong Slow Callie, Isu Olaavo, Itaewon Hannam-dong Little Neck, Seongsu Dapoke, Nonhyeon Hakdong Station Aloha Poke, Yeouido Aloha Poke, Euljiro Hoek Poke, Itaewon Hannam-dong DOTZ, Jongno Ikseon-dong Hot Spring House, Mangwon Gecko Restaurant, Mangwon Hula-hula, Suwon There are Ke All Day Poke, Daejeon Hot Spring House, Sejong Pocket, Cheongju Ochang Salad Asak, Gyeongju Fresh Run, Daegu Rabbit Salad, Gwangju Chosun University Fasting, Busan Gwangalli Pool 282, Changwon Wood Bowl, and Yeosu Andante.
1. 'Bowl Room' at Dosan Park in Apgujeong, a fun way to mix and eat whatever you like
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Image source: juyeon_diet__'s Instagram
Image source: juyeon_diet__ on Instagram
'Bowl Room' is a place where CEO Lee Dae-hoon, who spent his 20s in the US, presents poke eaten locally to suit Korean tastes. As soon as you place an order, you can vividly watch the food being prepared right in front of your eyes. The signature menu is the “Poke Bowl,†where you can choose the ingredients one by one according to your personal preferences. You can decide the base from salad mix, brown rice, and soba, choose 2 proteins from salmon, tuna, shrimp, chicken breast, and squid, and then choose toppings and sauces. You can add or subtract 11 toppings to suit your preferences, including crab salad, corn, crispy onions, and flying fish roe. If you prefer a mild flavor, I recommend the spicy cream sauce; if you enjoy a light flavor, I recommend the sesame soy sauce.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 36, Apgujeong-ro 42-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
▲Business hours: 11:00-21:00 on weekdays, 11:30 — 20:00 on weekends, B/T (weekdays) 15:00 — 17:00
â–²Price: Poke bowl 11,000 won, guacamole 3,000 won
â–²Testimonial (name changed to Shikigami): There is also a bar seat, so I often go to eat hon-bab. Normally, when I go to a restaurant, I have to eat without ingredients I don't like, but it was nice to be able to choose everything from beginning to end here. Personally, I think it would be nice to add avocado topping and eat it to make the light flavor come out even better!
2. 'Little Neck Hannam' in Hannam-dong with a variety of textures
Image source: Littleneckseoul's Instagram
Image source: Littleneckseoul's Instagram
“Little Neck Hannam†is a casual Italian restaurant where you can enjoy meals and desserts all at once, from brunch to dishes such as pasta and risotto, and croffles. Based on the concept of a small New York in Seoul, the interior stands out for its modern yet luxurious interior. The signature menu, “GARLIC BUTTER SHRIMP,†is served by putting ingredients such as garlic butter shrimp, chickpeas, flying fish roe, and spicy crab on top of the salad mix. The sweet, butter-flavored shrimp's chewy texture and bursting raw fish eggs combine to create a rich texture. The method of adding brown rice and enjoying it in a bowl style is also popular. Please note that delivery and packaging are only available from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 1F, 66 Hannam-daero 27-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
▲Opening hours: 10:30 — 22:00 every day
â–²Price: GARLIC BUTTER SHRIMP 14,000 won, SALMON 13,000 won
â–²Testimonial (Pretty Boy): When I went to Little Neck, I always only ate steak, but this time I ate a poke recommended by a friend. The moment I took just one bite of the poke, I began to regret why I had only tried it now. The ingredients and sauce went so well together, and the amount was generous, so I wasn't disappointed when I emptied a bowl! This time I ate it with shrimp, but next time I'm going to try salmon too.
3. Gwanghwamun 'Hillside Table', healthy flavors of seasonal ingredients
Image source: hillside_table's Instagram
Image source: hillside_table's Instagram
“Hillside Table†is located on a hillside street in an alley near Sunggok Art Museum, just like its trade name. Using seasonal ingredients, they make clean brunch menus such as sandwiches, salads, soups, and tofu scrambles. The signature menu is the “Salmon Poke Bowl,†which is a plate full of oats, brown rice, salmon, red onion, cucumber, guacamole, furikake, and lemon, then sprinkled with oriental sauce. Oriental sauce enhances the overall flavor and at the same time enhances the natural flavor of each ingredient. Salmon, which has a savory flavor that spreads as you chew, and fresh vegetables combine to provide a healthy meal that fills your mouth.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 7 Gyeonghuigung 2-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
▲Opening hours: 11:30 — 21:00, 15:20 — 17:00 every day
â–²Price: Salmon Poke Bowl 13,500 won, Tokyo 9,800 won
â–²Testimonial (Shikigin Love Cell 13): It's a place I often go to when I want to have a light meal at lunchtime because it's close to work. First of all, I like the light coming through the window. I usually eat poke, but if you add natural yeast bread and eat it together, it's even more filling. If you squeeze the juice from the lemon that comes with it and then eat it, the whole thing has a fresh aroma and flavor, making it delicious. hehe
4. The new world of avocado cuisine, ISU “Ola Abo Isu Main Storeâ€
Image source: Shikigami Contents Team
Image source: Shikigami Contents Team
“Ola Abo Isu Main Store†offers a variety of Mexican dishes, mainly avocados that have been aged in excellent condition. The interior of the store, filled with wooden furniture and green plants, evokes the feeling of coming to a foreign resort. The signature menu, “Avocado Salmon Poke,†is topped with salmon, soybeans, seaweed, and corn, then wrapped around the outside with thinly sliced avocado. You can add the soy sauce jelly that comes with the poke little by little and eat it as a side dish. Avocados add a light flavor by gently wrapping a variety of ingredients, such as rice flavored with furigake, crunchy seaweed, and soft salmon. A carbonated drink or coffee is offered as a service when visiting at lunchtime on weekdays.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: #116, 300 Sadang-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul
▲Business hours: 11:30 — 22:00 on weekdays, 12:00 — 22:00 on weekends, B/T (weekdays) 15:00 — 17:00
â–²Price: Avocado salmon poke 14,800 won, grilled avocado 14,000 won
â–²Testimonial (cactus tree): Is there a better place to enjoy avocados than here! Once you eat avocado and salmon poke, you'll never be able to put down a spoon. It was nice to be able to enjoy the texture and flavor of each and every one of the ingredients. The grill menu, which is grilled avocado and topped with bacon, is also very addictive because it has a sweet and salty flavor.
5. Just like the local flavors in the US! 'Slow Caly' in Yeonnam-dong
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Image source: Slowcali's Instagram
Image source: Slowcali's Instagram
“Slow Callie†is a place where you can enjoy poke that recreates the flavors of the mainland of the United States. The cool open windows and pictures of foreign landscapes hanging all over the store give it an exotic feel. The feature of ordering poke is that you can choose the base from green tea rice, brown rice, and kale salad. You can find various combinations of ingredients such as tuna, salmon, octopus, and tofu, and sauces such as spicy, salt and pepper, lime ponzu, and wasabi wrench. The “Spicy Salmon Poke,†which is topped with plenty of salmon mixed with sriracha sauce, is the most popular. The soft, spicy sauce captures the fatty flavor unique to salmon and boasts a flavor that doesn't bite.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 2F, 35, Donggyo-ro 38-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
▲Opening hours: 11:30 — 20:30 every day, B/T 15:00 — 17:00
â–²Price: Spicy Salmon Poke 9,700 won, Classic Tuna Poke 8,700 won
â–²Testimonial (Shikigin Mibling): I think poke would be great to eat as a healthy meal! The liver is not irritating, the vegetables are fresh, and the flavor of each ingredient is so delicious that I keep getting good at forking! The plates in a quiet atmosphere are all pretty and picture-worthy, and I recommend it as a comfortable, tasty, and healthy meal without feeling uncomfortable even after eating it all!
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