In the beginning, it was sushi, then came the poké. You've no doubt seen a lot of people eat it on restaurant tables or it must have turned up in your Instagram feed by now. Poké is a typical Hawaiian dish which became popular in the '70s. It has regained popularity in the last two years with 300 restaurants in the United States, now featuring Poké on the menu. In Europe it arrived first in London in 2017 and then in Milan in 2018 becoming the undisputed main star of the SS19 of foodies.
If you were asked, it is pronounced Poh-kay which in the local language means "cut into cubes" and originated as the humble snack that Hawaiian fishermen prepared with scraps of their catch. In fact, the dish was orignially presented as a salad composed of pieces of raw fish, tuna (aku) or octopus (he'e) but now also includes salmon, meat or tofu in the vegetarian version. The original recipe was influenced by the Japanese and other Asian cuisines in the sauce, which is based on soy sauce, edamame, seaweed and sesame oil.
Poké Bowl, an healthy and balanced snack
The Raw Dish is hot. You can't deny it. Poké Bowl is the new generation of sushi, but unlike sushi, it's easier to eat – it could be the lunch break at your desk, or when you are walking down the street - and it’s good for your health. The caloric intake is really low and the dish is well balanced thanks to the mix of healthy ingredients.
Rice, cereals or salad as a base and then protein, choosing from vegetarians (tofu) and (raw fish and sometimes even meat). The final element is the condiments (soy sauce, sesame, coconut milk) and topping (avocado, purple cabbage, wakame, edamame) rich in vitamins, antioxidants and fibre.
Another bonus is its affordability. The cost of a bowl is low for both consumers and restaurateurs. In fact, the average price of a bowl in Milan is around 12-14 € that is not so much considered the quality of the product that is always fresh. And if it is true that on average you spend at least 20 thousand euros for cooking equipment, for a poké – you need just two electrical outlets: one to cook the rice, the other to preserve the fish. Last but not least, the top selling point: instagrammability. The Hawaiian poké is the perfect food for foodies and instagram addicts. Colorful, photogenic, the bowls are catnip on Instagram.
The future of the poké bowl
It seems like Poké Bowl doesn't miss anything. Beautiful to see, great to enjoy, you could eat it endlessly without feeling guilty. It is carried around and consumed as a lunch, aperitif or dinner. It costs little and is super convenient. Halfway between sushi and street food. Some people wonder when its popularity will start to decline considering that, being raw food it’s not exactly suitable for the winter season
Some even say this will be when the fish will run out. In America, there is a place on 53rd Street that produces 800 pokès a day. Fish stocks in America are running out so presumably the poké fashion may come to an end when finding fish on the market becomes more and more difficult.