Gotta Eat 'Em All: Know Where to Find Poke Bowls in Bangkok
RESTAURANTS

Gotta Eat 'Em All: Where to Find Poke Bowls in Bangkok

Have you ever heard of poke bowls? No, these have nothing to do with Pokémon and the Poké Balls we used to catch them in video games we had all been too familiar with in the heyday of our youth. Pronounced "poh-kay," poke is a Hawaiian dish made usually of marinated raw fish along with various fixings like pickles, chopped onion, and seaweed, and served on top of a bowl of rice. According to the Hawaii Ocean Project, it's believed that the dish was first prepared by native Polynesians long before Westerners stepped foot on the islands. It was also initially made of raw reef fish and only earned the name "poke" in the '60s and '70s around the time the pink ahi tuna became more available to locals.

Today, poke can be comprised of different types of seafood like tuna, salmon, octopus, and mussels, and mixed with different toppings and sauces. For the plant-based, some restaurants even offer vegan versions.

If you’re craving for poke in Bangkok, these four places offer this refreshing and bright dish!



Ohana Poké

This restaurant is recommended for those in the mood for Hawaiian and American fare, from open-faced toasts and cold-pressed juice to signature and premium poke bowls. Its Aloha Thai (THB229) poke bowl is an ode to the Land of Smiles with ingredients like salmon, tangy sriracha, corn, eggs, tomatoes, wakame (kelp), and Japanese rice. A Vegan Hawaii poke bowl is available for plant-based peeps, whereas those on special diets can opt for the Superfood Supreme, Pure Protein, and Keto Salad poke bowls.

Ohana Poké is open daily from 11 AM to 12 AM and accepts both table reservations and online orders from its website.

Luerjai

This restaurant has multiple locations in Bangkok and is known for its mouthwatering poke bowls. Variety is key in Luerjai, as patrons have the option to choose among a myriad of sauces, from original, larb, gochujang, and spicy mayo to sweet katsuo, spicy Thai sauce, spicy esan sauce, and yuzu ponzu (yuzu-flavoured sauce). You can choose among its poke bowls from its menu or, if nothing catches your fancy, opt to create your own bowl instead. Apart from salmon, other toppings available are tako (octopus), chicken breast, sour saba, onsen tamago (hot spring eggs), ebiko (shrimp eggs), tofu, tamagoyaki, avocado, rice noodle, and crispy fried shallots! Its Salmon Poke Bowl only logs 470 calories for the entire serving, perfect if you want something delicious and filling but not calorically sinful!

Hunter Poke

Hunter Poke is known as the first full-service poke restaurant in Thailand. It offers salads, smoothies, and fruit bowls, as well as special poke bowls with names like Sexy Salmon, X Factor, Chipotle, Pimpin' Pesto, and Triple Sea, among others.

Due to the rise of the price of salmon in 2021, the restaurant had to increase the prices of its salmon-related menu by about 20% from May 2022, but it seems this is not enough to keep Thais from consuming Hunter Poke's scrumptious bowls. Nevertheless, the restaurant has suggested that customers can substitute salmon for the yellowfin tuna, which is more affordable.

Hunter Poke is available on foodpanda, Lineman, Grab, and Shopee Food.

Shari Shari

This Asian fusion restaurant is known for its sushi burrito, but we urge you not to sleep on its poke bowl. If ordering from foodpanda, customers get to personalise their bowl by choosing which toppings, seafood, sauces, and sprinkles they want it to come with. A medium poke bowl (which comes with two toppings) is priced at THB240, while a large costs THB270. Tuna zuke, salmon sashimi, or both are available as your main fish, with available toppings like tobiko (flying fish roe), kimchi, and edamame, to name a few. As for the sauce, choose among sesame poke, truffle shoyu (soy sauce), ponzu (citrus-flavoured sauce), and spicy mayo and shoyu! To enjoy your poke bowl from Shari Shari, you may want to accompany it with some fried eggplant and boneless fried chicken from its menu, as well!

Subscribe to The Beat's newsletter to receive compelling, curated content straight to your inbox! You can also create an account with us for free to start bookmarking articles for later reading.