For the uninitiated, poke is a Hawaiian appetizer consisting of fresh sliced fish that’s been heavily seasoned with soy sauce, green onions and sesame oil. The end result is an exceptionally tasty and refreshing mixture that can be topped onto rice and other vegetables.
Poke bowls are increasing in popularity here in Singapore so here are some of the best places to get your hands on them:
Like a salad bar, you can order a pre-made poke bowl – Standard Nalu Tuna or Standard Nalu Salmon (both at $15.90) – or customise one with your preferred ingredients. Choose from small ($11.90 for 75g of poke), regular ($15.90 for 150g of poke) or large ($19.90 for 225g of poke) bowls.
Then, pick your preferred rice – white, brown or mixed – and protein item, and three types of toppings, such as cherry tomatoes, edamame, pumpkin seeds, avocado and chia seeds.
If you don’t fancy raw fish, there’s the option of having your poke bowl with tofu in a nutty sesame dressing.
#B2-46, Marina Bay Link Mall, 92 Amoy Street, www.alohapoke.com.sg
The dizzying array of choices will have you returning for more. Served with salmon, tuna and an assortment of veggies, poke bowls at Rollie Olie are mainly differentiated by their seasoning: classic sesame-and-soya sauce (Aloha Poke), Korean spicy sauce (Seoul Surfer), sriracha hot sauce (Cha Cha Cha), yuzu sauce (Yuzu Bliss) and wasabi sauce (Wild About Wasabi).
Prices range from $12.95 for a regular serving to $17.95 for an upsized portion. Vegetarians can opt for Green Goddess ($9.95 for regular size), which uses pan-seared tofu instead of raw fish.
#01-k42 Suntec City Mall (North Wing), Pasarbella, www.rollieolie.com
The next time you’re indulging in some delicious fusion dishes at Lokkee, be sure to order their poke salad ($16). This diced salmon and tuna dish features the restaurant’s special poke sauce that’s really fragrant. Their poke is then served in tortilla bowls you can eat!
#03-01, Plaza Singapura, 68 Orchard Road, www.lokkee.com.sg
In the spirit of exotic cakes which this cafe is known for, Dapper Coffee churns out poke bowls with a twist. Their signature Poke-don ($22) features ahi tuna, avocado, spring onions, shiso and furikake, and is served over squid ink-flavoured rice, then topped with a caramelised egg yolk and cilantro. Whip out your camera for an Instagram shot before digging in!
Second level, 73 Amoy Street
This salad bar ups the health ante by offering wholesome grains in their salad bowls. The Ahi Poke Bowl ($19.90) comes with yellowfin tuna, avocado, pineapple, rocket leaves, red onion and Japanese cucumber, served on warm quinoa and topped with scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
Other tantalising options include Japanese Salmon Bowl ($19.90), which contains buckwheat noodles, and Korean Chicken Bowl ($16.90), served with pearl couscous.
41 Duxton Road, www.eatatsprout.com
Text: Estelle Low/Shape
Additional Reporting: Atika Lim
- TAGS:
- Health
- healthy
- Nutrition
- poke
- poke bowls