There are a ton of Poké (raw fish salad) spots cropping up all over the San Francisco Bay Area. There seem to be new spots opening in many different areas. I think this is great since I love anything seafood and some Poké bowl deliciousness.
Poké originated in Hawaii, and the definition is “to cut or slice.” Traditional ingredients typically comprise of tuna and octopus. There are many adaptations to this, however, and you’ll also find yellowfin tuna and other elements. Each restaurant’s offerings will vary from location.
One of my favorite spots to get Poké bowls are from Poke Koma in Alameda, California. You can taste the freshness of the ingredients used here, and if you love seafood, this is an excellent spot to check out. When you come to this spot, you order your bowl in a specific way:
-First, you choose what size dish you’d prefer: Regular (3 proteins) or Large (5 proteins). I like to stick with the option of 3. For me, 5 is a bit overkill, unless you’re starving.
-Second: you choose your base (sushi rice, spring mix, brown rice, crab chips).
-Third: Choose your proteins (Ahi tuna, yellowtail, salmon, shrimp, tofu, octopus, spicy tuna, crawfish, scallops).
-Fourth: Choose your flavor (mild, spicy).
-Fifth: Choose your toppings (Crab Salad, avocado, masago (fish roe), furikake(Japanese dry seasoning), wasabi, jalapenos, seaweed salad, green onions, pickled ginger, fried shallots, wonton strips, corn).
Sixth: Choose your sauce (spicy aioli, creamy wasabi, lemon ginger, jalapeno, teriyaki, roasted garlic, and miso).
You also have the option to choose extra add-in ingredients as well for an additional cost.
I usually order salmon, ahi tuna (my favorite!), and shrimp along with the brown rice base and ALL the fixings. For me, the spicier, the better, so I like to add-in the spicy aioli sauce. I especially love the creamy avocado, crab salad, and freshness of the fish. All the other ingredients are like cherries on a sundae. They complement the bowl terrifically.
REGULAR BOWL WITH ALL THE FIXINGS (SALMON, AHI TUNA, SHRIMP)
CLOSE-UP SHOT OF TUNA AND SALMON
I’ve tried some of the other protein options like the crawfish. This ingredient wasn’t my favorite because it was a bit too salty for my taste buds.
Poke Koma also offer snacks like spam musubi(grilled spam on top of rice and wrapped together), miso soup, and onigiri (Japanese rice ball) and dessert options including Hawaiian shaved ice and different types of beverages. Also, they just started serving alcohol.
The prices at this spot are very reasonable. Two regular bowls will set you back a little over 20 dollars.
Bottom line: if you’ve never tried Poké or love it and have never gone to this eatery, do yourself a favor and check it out if you’re in the area. This spot can get busy on the weekends, and there’s not much room for seating, so get there when they first open for the day if you plan on eating there.
BUSINESS INFORMATION:
Poke Koma
1354 Park Street, b/t Marti Rae Ct & Alameda Avenue
Alameda, CA 94501
Hours of Operation:
Daily: 11:00AM to 9:00PM
Phone# (510) 227-5519
info@poke-koma.com
You can view the restaurant menu here.
To learn more about me, please check out my about me page.
You can also read a previous post from another great restaurant in Alameda here.