306 Water Street, Vancouver (Gastown)
Gastown has been blessed with another poke shop, and now The Poke Guy on Richards Street has some serious competition to watch out for. The Poke Shop, located on Water Street, is the latest poke restaurant to join the growing Vancouver trend. Located in another basement, I was first drawn to The Poke Shop by their colourful sign that pointed into the restaurant. Walking inside, I was greeted with a burst of colour, with a long Hawaiian style mural running along one of the walls and a gorgeous wooden communal table with gorgeous blue glass running through the center of it. Starting at $12.95 for a large bowl, you are given a base of rice or salad, two scoops of protein and unlimited toppings. Unlimited. As in, top it until you drop it (but don't drop it, because you will be sad). As with The Poke Guy there are multiple toppings to choose from, however, you need to be careful about some of the toppings that you choose, as premium toppings are an extra $1, like avocado. However, the poke bowl was amazing. Their toppings were plentiful and abundant, which was really great to see. I chose the wild sockeye salmon and Ahi tuna on white Japonica rice, topped with avocado, corn, green onion, and many other things I don't remember, and topped off with miso sauce. It was incredibly fresh and delicious, though the fish wasn't as marinated or flavourful. If you're looking to diversify your poke pallet, consider The Poke Shop, right across from the steam clock. You'll instantly forget that you're in rainy Vancouver.
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420 Richards Street, Vancouver (Gastown)
I went to check out The Poke Guy ahead of a review for The Peak. It was my very first time trying poke, and it was incredible! Poke is a fish salad found in Hawaiian cuisine, and one bite of this transported me instantly to Hawaii! The aestehtic of the restaurant which is very close to SFU's Harbour Center campus, has a very beachy vibe: clean white walls, wooden furniture and vibrant green plants. The greatest thing about The Poke Guy is the amount of choice that you have when it comes to what you want to eat. First off, you get to choose the size: the Little Guy, which consists of two scoops of protein and up to 5 sides, or the Big Guy, which consists of three scoops of protein and unlimited sides. There are daily proteins that rotate though, like Tako (octopus) and shrimp, as well as mainstays such as Ahi tuna and Lomi Lomi salmon. There is also the choice between white and brown rice or a salad base, and a number of sides such as imitation crab, avocado, corn, fresh mango, and others. You also get a choice of dressings as well as "crunch" toppings like nori (seaweed), crispy onions and pork rinds. I had the Little Guy with half white rice and half salad, Lomi Lomi salmon (which is fresh salmon marinated with vinegar, tomato, parsley and onions) and a bit of Ahi tuna, added imitation crab meat and mango and topped with nori. It was, in a word, delicious! One bite and I could feel the Hawaiian sunshine! The other cool thing about The Poke Guy is that all of their utensils and packaging are compostable. The staff are also incredibly helpful, and you can sample the different proteins to see which one you like! With poke becoming so popular in the city, the lunch rush at The Poke Guy means that the popular proteins and sides get sold out quickly and aren't replaced for the rest of the day. The Poke Guy is on the rise and looking to add more food options and potentially be open for dinner as well, and definitely is the one to watch. |
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