Restaurant Review: Poke Guys
POKE GUYS
112 Elizabeth Street ~ pokeguys.ca Instagram: @pokeguysto ~ Twitter: @pokeguysTO Co-Diner: Tim Golem
After living on the west coast I consider myself a bit of an aficionado when it comes to poke. The poke in Vancouver is very, very good. (Especially from my favourite place; Pacific Poke. Please open a location in Toronto. PLEASE!) Poke is a Hawaiian dish that consists of diced raw fish as the main ingredient. Modern versions of poke usually feature a heavy Japanese influence and I'd describe it most as a sashimi salad served on rice. I absolutely love poke. If I had to choose one food to eat for the rest of my life; it would probably be poke. blogTO has named Poke Guys as the #1 Best Poke Bowl in Toronto and I took this information very seriously. You'll find Poke Guys located Downtown, very close to Young-Dundas Square. (They also have a second location in Markham.) I visited on a Saturday evening and was very anxious to have them become a part of my life. The restaurant is on the smaller size, with a counter to order at full of vibrant toppings. There are a handful of tables available and the overall size of the restaurant seemed quite typical of most poke shops. I enjoyed their decal graphics on the walls which added to the fun and laid-back atmosphere. Their menu is clear and easy to understand, posted on screens behind the counter. As is consistent with most poke shops, they have several Signature Bowls available (Poke Guys offers seven pre-concocted bowls) which are great for people who are looking for some reliable flavour combos or for people who may be new to poke. They also offer a "Build Your Own Bowl" option, which has now become my preference. I greatly enjoy creating my own perfect bowl with all of my favourite ingredients and flavours included. Since this was my first visit, it made the most sense to me to try the PG's Bowl ($12.50 for regular size) since this one sounded like the most signature of their Signature Bowls.
White rice, classic shoyu salmon, masago, edamame, seaweed salad, corn, fried onion, pickled red ginger, B&W sesame seeds.
The bowls are offered in two sizes; regular and large. I figured that the regular size would suffice! The staff was extremely friendly and seemed more than happy to help guide us through our poke journey. There are a lot of questions asked about toppings and sauce and garnish, and if you're like me, you want to make sure that you get everything just right. The poke comes in a clear plastic to-go container and I was a bit disappointed that there isn't an option to "eat in" out of a ceramic bowl. However, the contents of the bowl were very much the beautiful rainbow of vibrant ingredients that I love so much about poke. Starting with the base, the white rice was perfectly adequate. I love enjoying my poke on a base of white sushi rice, with that little hint of vinegar, and this rice delivered. I also really like that they offer soba noodles as a base option, something that I have not seen before elsewhere. The PG's Bowl comes with classic shoyu salmon which would not be my protein of choice - I'm much more of a tuna girl, myself. I liked that the salmon was assembled with vegetables, which is much more of a traditional Hawaiian preparation. While the flavour was nice, I found the cubes of salmon to be a little bit too large and the quality of the salmon itself to be a little bit lower than what I'm used to. I had a few tough pieces that were laced with a bit too much sinew, which had me yearning for fish that melted in my mouth. The rest of the toppings were beautiful, bright, and fresh. I loved the salty pop of masago (roe from the capelin fish), and sweetness from the edamame and corn. The fried onions added an excellent crunch and the bold pickled ginger brought some heat. I also added the spicy aioli and classic shoyu sauces to my bowl, along with some nori. I didn't especially love the addition of spring mix lettuce to my bowl as it seemed a lot like unnecessary filler. Overall, this poke was a party in my mouth with everyone invited. The heavenly flavours of umami danced on my palate. While this poke wasn't the best that I've ever had, it was still very good. I would eat this poke any day over "no poke" at all. They did not offer any fun or interesting beverages but the usual suspects were all there. The next time that I visit (soon!) I will certainly opt to build my own bowl. I'm already dreaming about what my perfect combinations will be. I'm thinking two types of tuna with crab meat slaw. I'm salivating just thinking about it! Poke Guys is a legit and solid bet for your in-land poke desires.