Like a soothing ocean breeze, Aloha Poke Co. has swept into Pacific Beach bringing quality, sashimi-grade tuna and a new taste treat, pineapple smoothies.
“It is very trendy because it’s really healthy and its fresh,” said the company’s West Coast executive director McKensie Kahnweiler of poke, a raw fish salad served as an appetizer, and sometimes as a main course, in Hawaiian cuisine.
Chicago-based Aloha Poke Co. is expanding quickly throughout Southern California, debuting June 27 at 710 Hornblend St. in a brand new building where der Wienerschnitzel once stood.
“The bowls are like pieces of art,” Kahnweiler said, adding, “It’s a build-your-own situation. You pick it out first and then we make your bowl.
Kahnweiler said Aloha has teamed with Pineapple Crush, which makes smoothies in hollowed-out pineapples, to add some extra pizzazz to their menu. “We have our back counter dedicated to Pineapple Crush smoothies,” she said.
Why eat poke?
“It’s super healthy, full of nutrition,” answered Kahnweiler. “Every single bowl has everything you need for that meal: a protein, a starch and mixed greens. It’s a very flexible way to eat sushi whenever you want it.”
Aloha Poke’s mission is simple: rethink fast food by providing fresh, fast and tasty bowls full of quality, raw ingredients that fuel the day.
Vegans, said Kahnweiler, will also be pleased by Aloha Poke’s tofu, adding the cuisine in PB is also peanut-free.
And the Hawaiian isle-ambiance at Aloke Poke Co. was worth the wait. With super-high ceilings and a simple-but-tasteful floor plan, the new eatery is as attractive as it is understated.
“We wanted to create a place where people would want to hang out and offer a different experience than a typical poke restaurant,” said Kahnweiler. “We just like to have a beach, grunge vibe where people want to come and walk over here with their sandy feet and grab a bowl, or a Pineapple Crush. The fact you can watch the sunset everyday out of the front windows is an added bonus.”
Aloha Poke Co. stands out by using fresh, never frozen fish raised in the most optimal ecosystems and caught using sustainable practices. Menu highlights include traditional sesame and shoyu-marinated tuna, salmon or tofu and unique combinations and small bites such as toro on a corn crunch tostada, the “Walkin Poke” combo of poke + Fritos, or rice balls packed with shrimp or veggie crunch.
A typical lunch at Aloha Poke costs about $11 and change.
For more information, visit alohapokeco.com. Aloha Poke Co.
Where: 710 Hornblend St.
When: Opening June 27.
Info: alohapokeco.com.
