It’s all about Hawaiian Poké at the moment as another Poké bar has landed on the foodie haven of Kingly Street – Island Poké. It comes via the investment of Chris Miller, previously of Soho House, so it’s bound to be fashionable. Ubiquitous in Hawaii, poké is a colourful, flavourful version of sushi served in bowl format. As a sushi and matcha (latte) convert and a big fan of anything bowl-shaped, I couldn’t resist a surprisingly quick trip to Island Poké during my lunch hour. I’d also been enticed by the alluring photographs of their bowls, featuring colourful fruit toppings and vividly green avocado.
The space, with its contemporary boutique style and welcoming colour scheme, is very inviting. It literally transports you into Hawaii, with a map of the Pacific painted on the wall, alongside an explanation of what poké is all about.
Bowl food really is a contemporary and fuss free way of eating – definitely when it comes to sushi which can otherwise be something of a chopstick-based obstacle course. The dishes are also healthy, filling and endlessly customisable. From their signature pokés to customisable bowls the options are endless. I ended up creating my own bowl based on their “Beet It”, composed of roasted golden beetroot, chilli lime shoyu, brown rice, kiwi coconut salad, smashed mac nuts, spring onions and sesame seeds. I swapped the rice for slaw and leaves, and added everything else going – including edamame, wakame seaweed, crispy shallots, coconut shavings, pineapple salsa…! The list goes on. As my friendly server told me, I like a little bit of everything.
The vibe here really is fresh and authentic . I definitely left feeling rejuvenated. It’s a great spot to enjoy a reviving meal imbued with fresh and exotic flavours of the Pacific. I’ll be poking my way around Island Poké again soon.
Island Poké, 8 Kingly Street, Soho, W1B
Website: http://islandpoke.co.uk
Rating: *****
Yumtini 