Today, poke comes in various permutations. "Poke speaks to the culinary palate of Hawaii." Fast-forward to today, and it has survived all these years, getting more creative as the years go by." Poke in Hawaii was originally reef fish, scored and seasoned only with sea salt, seaweed, or roasted kukui. "It's unclear when 'poke' started being associated with what we know now as poke, but it might have been as late as the '60s." Legendary Hawaiian chef Alan Wong provides a bit more context: "A long time ago, it was sustenance and a way to eat and survive. "All 'poke' means is to 'cut crosswise into pieces,'" explains Cheng. Most traditionally, poke was made from fish, salt, local seaweeds, and chopped Hawaiian kukui nuts. Poke is a classic Hawaiian dish comprised of sliced, raw fish and various mix-ins. Photo: Courtesy of Foodland What Is Poke? But can fast-casual raw fish really work? "People already love sushi, raw fish, and ceviche poke seems like a natural inclusion." There's no denying the trend. "I'm not surprised poke is becoming so popular in the continental U.S., just surprised that it took so long," says Hawaii-based food writer Martha Cheng. Other names to keep an eye on include the bicoastal Pokéworks, Mainland Poké Shop (LA), Poké Bar (LA), and Poké Go (San Diego). In New York City, Wisefish Poké is gearing up to open soon and - thanks to the relative ease of getting a poke restaurant off the ground, the dish's appeal to health-conscious consumers, and the persistent trend of bowl foods - you better believe the concept is scalable. While Sweetfin's owners might have the power in their corner right now, they're not the only restaurant operators trying to make a go of fast-casual poke ( especially in Los Angeles). Not only did Sweetfin Poké secure financing for its growth, it also got David Swinghamer - the longtime Danny Meyer associate who was a founding partner of Union Square Hospitality Group and former Shake Shack CEO - on board as a "strategic advisor." Earlier this month, a fast-casual Santa Monica restaurant that serves a take on the famous Hawaiian dish poke (pronounced poh-kay) received an undisclosed amount of funding for further expansion in Southern California.
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