Today we return to Hawaii to find doors (last time I promise). These doors lead to the Kahuku Superette in the small town of Kahuku on the east shore of Oahu. They might not look like much but on the other side you can experience the Best Poke Bowl in Hawaii (according to them). We had no idea what Poke Bowl was and took turns guessing. My guess, it was a bowling alley where they used coconuts as the balls and pineapple as the pins.
If you’ve clicked the link above you know how far off base I was. It’s Hawaiian fast food. A Poke Bowl has a base of either white or brown rice, chips and/or salad. Followed by the condiments: white onions, sweet corn, carrots, seaweed, cucumbers, avocado and/or mango and the poke (raw fish): salmon, tuna, albacore, spicy tuna, shrimp, crab, scallop, hamachi, and unagi. Then you have your choice of sauces: original (mild/spicy), spicy mayo, unagi, Japanese Kimchi, honey avocado and/or miso. Last but not least, Poke Bowl is topped with any or all of these garnishes: masago, sesame seeds, ginger, wasabi, and green onions.
Is your head spinning yet?
Poke Bowls are served differently, depending on what part of the island you’re on.
We’d stopped at the superette to pick up water and pretzels for the nearby beach (which was rumored to have calmer waves than the North Shore). Squeamishly we passed on their world famous Poke Bowl.
One more pic of the wild waves and then Aloha Hawaii!
By the way, if you find yourself craving a Poke Bowl, I’ve read that they might become the next rage in the culinary world!
Check out other doors at Norm Frampton’s #ThursdayDoors challenge here.
Saying nothing in particular 
I was introduced to this dish a few months ago although it was called simply a rice bowl. It’s divine! …and one of my new favourite dishes. We toss on top of it whatever vegetables we happen to have although avocados and tomatoes are a personal favourite!
I can see why these bowls might become the new culinary sensation. I’m hooked 🙂
It’s very similar to a salad bar in that you can put whatever you want on top! I heard one lady say that she’d put so much seafood in her Poke Bowl that Jacques Cousteau would be spinning in his grave!
hahahaha!! That’s funny 🙂
Interesting story and also great articles, Jan. Can’t wait to try a poke bowl. Are you ready to dive into one?
You know me and raw fish, KC Gal!
A Poke Bowl is new to me, but it sounds very good.
I suppose I should have been braver and tried one but I was hooked on the garlic shrimp!
Well you can’t argue with the taste buds.
Yum yum yum! I’ve never had one, but I always think they look and sound fabulous! I would love to try one, so I hope they do go trendy here in the continental US.
Supposedly they will.
🙂
And there’s me trying to diet!!!
It looks delicious. I always like to know what’s behind the doors. I’m not a fan of raw fish. Maybe someone will make a wimp’s version, after it becomes a thing here. The photos are great!
Thanks Dan – I’m with you on the raw fish thing – I believe they do make a wimp’s version!
A local pub used to make a nice salad with grilled Salmon. I enjoyed that very much.
Raw fish makes me uneasy but it does look like a tasty mix so I might give this a try if it ever makes it out this way 🙂
I stay away from the raw fish as well but I believe some Poke bowl places give you the cooked option.
I’m slobbering at the mouth here!
Maybe they’ll open a Poke Bowl place in Ireland soon! By the way, your newsletter was hilarious. Did you really write your own review?
I think you’ve invented a new bowling game in this post, Jan – might turn out slightly messy, though. Food looks delicious. I’m drooling now.
Yes, I imagine it might be. Sounds like a tasty game though!
I have to cook it too! But my family loves pokes. One night it was my son’s turn to cook, he cheated and brought home poke.
Did you grandkids eat it? I’m pretty sure mine wouldn’t. Make that a positive!
I’d try it! I love rice bowls and sushi. I hope it becomes all the rage here.
We’ll see!
I love bowls, but I don’t do raw fish. I’m doing my part to offset the sushi rage. 🙂
janet
Me too Janet! Sushi is definitely not my thing.
If that is supposed to be fast food, I;ll have t any time:) They must be cooking all day:)
I think it’s more a case of chopping all day as only the rice is cooked.
Great food pictures 🙂 I wonder, is the fish raw or salted? Anyway, I am very intrigued, and if I have a chance I will try it.
The pictures are actually from different restaurant’s web pages! The fish is generally raw but I understand some places do offer cooked fish.
I thought you took the pictures before you ate the meal 🙂
Hope you continue blogging about Hawaii, reminds me of home. BTW, a hole in the wall in Kapahulu (near Waikiki) called Ono Hawaiian Seafood has reviews of serving the best poke bowls (we tasted and it was really fresh and good). Not to confused with Ono Hawaiian Food nearby that serves great Hawaiian food.
There are probably many holes in the wall claiming to have the best Poke Bowl! The one in Kahuku was very close to the shrimp farms so I imagine the shrimp was very fresh! I don’t know if I have too much more to say about Hawaii, except that I miss it too!