Toronto celebrates its first Poke Week

Nov 8, 2016 | Life

By: Sveta Soloveva

Torontonians get a chance to try Poke at a special price in seven different restaurants during Poke Week.

The 420 Tuna & Salmon bowl. Pokito restaurant. Photo: Sveta Soloveva

The 420 Tuna & Salmon bowl. Pokito restaurant. Photo: Sveta Soloveva

Hawaiian dish made of rice, vegetables and raw fish is blowing up in Toronto. At least 10 poke restaurants have opened in downtown this year. And there was no one before.

Quan Tran of Pokito says Poke is gaining in popularity because it is healthy, colourful and unique.

“It’s interesting and different way to eat something,” said Quan Tran of Pokito at 420 Queen W. “Poke is very vivid in colours, so it’s catches people’s eyes. It’s healthy and something that hasn’t been done in Toronto yet.”

From Nov. 7 – 13 seven restaurants offer Poke bowls at a special price. For those who purchase a passport for $20 each dish will cost $5 all week long. Tran said he has already seen many costumes with the passports are coming to their store. They all are very intrigued to try Pokito’s special, Spicy Garlic Poke.

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Customers are lining up at Pokito restaurant on Queen Street West during Poke Week. Photo: Sveta Soloveva

“Instead of sushi rice we use inspiration from Philippines and Singapore to create a hianese garlic rice with crispy garlic,” said Tran.

The bowl also contains spicy classics salmon with cucumber. It is served with crab salad and seaweed salad and topped with taro chips, nori and tobiko.

“It’s cool to try new stuff,” said Clayton Hanmer, who came to Pokito to try Spicy Salmon Burrito.

Hanmer doesn’t have a Poke Week pass yet, but he might get one.

“It depends on how many places I decide to go to. If I do three different restaurants, I’ll buy a pass,” he said.

Tran encouraged everyone to buy a pass and celebrate the new food fest.

“It’s completely worth it because it’s always interesting to see what other places are doing. Especially in Toronto where always things are happening, being a part of something is always great,” he said.

The participating restaurants are: The Poke Box, Poke Guys, Pokito, Hoki Pok, Calii Love, Big Tuna and Su&Bu.