Lots of cruddo and tuna tartare on menus. Marea has like six kinds of cruddo. But other than the three chains you mentioned you don’t see Poke a lot on other menus. NYC tends to run to French, Italian, and Steak. Put poke into Google maps and see what comes up.
Btw, most recipes for tuna tartare and poke only differ in the use of macadamia and onion in the poke, so it’s basically the same thing.
So what about Chicago?
Umm…what? There are like four poke specific restaurants that have opened in nyc in just the past two years! It’s on a large number of menus too, usually listed next to avocado toast.
So like where?
I see three in Manhattan and one in Brooklyn.
Btw, I tend to avoid it since I suspect this is a big use for leftover tuna. Some of the stuff I have gotten tastes like mildew.
It’s nothing like Hawaii where you know it’s fresh and is at like every corner lunch counter.
Poke Nachos at five napkin would be a big sign that this is turning into a thing.
Speaking of Hawaiian food, is there anywhere around here that does plate lunches with rice and macaroni salad? Those things are awesome.
Well these 12 places to start… hell i just saw a sign in Smiler’s deli in midtown east with a sign saying they had poke…(!) that sounds sketchy
There’s also Noreetuh which is a hawaiian restaurant
There were only 7 places in that article. And 3 of them are the chains from Google maps.
But I would say based on the article itself that a fad is underway, especially for less expensive places.
Looks to me like BBQ was 10 years ago in the city. There used to be Virgil’s and not much else. Now it’s everywhere but usually not very good.
In two years poke will be universal with furry little hipsters all over it like ewoks with black glasses.
Do they have it at Whole Foods yet?
That would be a sure sign it’s jumped the shark.
You know I’m kinda with CeeJay on this one. There is nothing like a little fresh yellowtail in lime juice and salt on the fantail with a little cerveza and diesel fumes. You want fresh get a pole, reel and some gas money.
Vk…hogs breath is a great time! That tuna isn’t from kw. That’s Hudson tuna.
I’ve had some great black fin down there. I wish I could live in kw…a small drinking village with a fishing problem.
I love the smell of diesel in the morning
There used to be an L&L Hawaiian BBQ on Fulton St (Wall Street area) but shut down - I think they never quite recovered after Hurricane Sandy. Too bad - they weren’t that great but they were the ONLY place of their kind in NYC that I know of - and their kalua pork and cabbage was pretty good - and their spam musubi! Mr Rat used to order from them when he was working nights down there since they were one of the only places that delivered after 11pm.
Poké is becoming more and more a thing in Chicago. There are mainly two big players in terms of Poké (bowls), but a number of restaurants are offering poke dishes like the Poke Nachos and other variations. I actually wrote a post about the best Poké joints in Chicago and one detailing a little bit about what Poké is (Let me know what you think of the writing). Still trying to find my voice.
I don’t see Poké hitting to what you see in Hawaii with different types of poké served up like tuna salad in a grocery store. I do see that possibly occurring at Asian Seafood stores like Seafood City.
I’m betting it’s like everywhere in Cali too, at least the Bay Area, Hell A and San Diego, or anywhere else people pretend to surf. Prolly has its own counter at 99 Ranch Market in San Jose too.
As I remember sushi in this country got its start out there in the 80’s before it spread everywhere else.
Nicely written Bootler. I was wondering what differentiated Poke from ceviche.
The citrus flavor base of ceviche denatures (cooks) the protein; poké uses soy and sesame base flavoring that leaves the meat more like crudo/sashimi.
Way to make friends and influence people bro!! What’s your basis for all that dissing? Just being cute or is it something serious?
Yes of course it’s for sale ar whole foods.
Actually the new whole foods in williamburg has several different counters in a food court style situation and one of them is a poke counter.
Which i think says it all right there…
Thanks BoneAppetite! Bootler gave an explaination in his link as well.
I imagine a tuna tartare is a finer cut than a Poke (and without soy)?
You’re right that tartare describes fineness; not sure tartare defines approach to seasoning.
Good point VikingKaj. It will probably just take a little to fully capture the entire US in the craze.
Nope, former resident and alumnus of San Diego, which I am actually rather fond of. I even have the sweatshirt:
I’m pretty sure I also have an expired drivers license somewhere if I go look.
I also love love love Baja food, which is impossible to get around here, everything is Oaxaqueno. I would kill for a real carne asada burrito right about now.
Former long board driver as well, at my size and age if I got on a shorty it would be like submarining.
You will have to admit, however, that there lots of people wearing Billabong and Quicksilver in California who do not know their surf wax from a bikini wax. 
Not, and never was, a huge LA fan which is probably kind of a San Diego thing.
Go Torreros !
Speaking of tuna and San Diego, it looks like the yellowfin are running. Here is a little info:
http://independencesportfishing.com/pages/fishreports.php?year=2016
That is some great fishing:
Poke, party of 12? Your fish is ready.
