I Wouldn't Mind Getting Poked On the Daily

Finally, Philly! Finally we are catching on to the poke trend. Pokemon Go, sure- but more so, poke bowls, the Hawaiian rice bowls filled with raw fish and sunshine!

I was jealous when I read about NY's different poke shops. Then, Nolibs got its Poke Bowl in May, and we have another coming to Chinatown Square. Plus,more restaurants are wising up adding poke bowls to their menus. I checked out the Chipotle style build a bowl at Poke Bowl and the summer poke bowl special at Chinatown's Bubblefish.

Over at Poke Bowl, you have the choice of 6 different proteins and 4 different bases. I chose the tuna over white rice with mango, guac, and pickled ginger as toppings and the wasabi aoli as the sauce. Besides being beautiful, this bowl provides a lot of vibrant, clean tastes. The large size gets you 5 scoops for $11.50 which I think it totally fair for all this freshness. I had some trouble finishing the whole bowl. And while I didn't eat the flower, the girl in me really appreciated the added flourish.

958 N 2nd Street, 267 579 3338

At Bubblefish, salmon or tuna poke bowls are $13 and come with avocado, sprouts, bonito, fried onions, black and white sesame seeds, and honey wasabi mayo. The addition of the fried onion and bonito brought some more umami to the bowl; there were a lot of flavors going on. The proportion of tuna to rice was perfect, and I was able to finish the bowl. My one complaint is that the avocado was not ripe enough. Bubblefish also has an extensive sushi and tea menu. Everything I saw coming out of the kitchen looked lovely and I will have to return to sample some other things.

I really could eat poke multiple times a week and not get sick of it, especially in the summer. As the poke shops keep coming to Philly, I will keep eating at them. Gotta catch em all.

909 Arch St, 267 930 7634