North Shore Poke Co. (we close early when we run out of fresh fish) — Restaurant in Huntington Beach

As much as I love sushi and sashimi I'll always hold a special comforting closeness to Poke. Perhaps it's the closeness to the people and it's origins. It's not Japanese Sashimi and it's also something everyone makes in Hawaii not something only found at higher end sushi restaurants. With the massive popularity of sushi here in Southern California markets I'm surprised Poke hasn't taken off the way sushi has.

Like shipping in water from NY to keep their pizza dough authentic some pizza joints and the discerning palate know that this is the only way to make it real. The Poke version of that is kukui nuts, ogo, limu and other add on's. Part of the history is fisherman using whatever was available to make this dish. With limitless variations it's very preferential as to receipes, and as it should be.

Cruise down olive and it's near the 5th street intersection. It's not hard to find, but with quite a bit of distinction to be had as being a pure poke establishment I kind of expected more than a "islands burger" feel. Nothing against them as they are Hawaiian influenced, but not actually Hawaiian. Lots of times authenticity isn't that big, but I think it is here. Service is good, servers are nice and friendly, but a little handcuffed by the establishment. Come and relax and eat, your not going to get full here with a huge meal, that's not what it's meant for.

I like how everything is made to order, but don't like how it's a bit pre-cut with a poke base. I'd prefer larger chunks personally. Us Californians love our Avocado and get it on everything. I know many Hawaiians put mayonnaise in their sauces, but personally I think it has no place in my poke. The yolkiness of the condiment diminishes the rawness of the fish for me personally. I prefer more traditional flavorings. The serving sizes are small, straight up. The fish is not cheap, but the recipe's are not expensive so to me aside from tracking down some ogo, limu and kukui nuts I can make it at home for more value. This is also where I prefer a more Japanese touch in using the sushi rice treated with rice vinegar, sugar and sometimes salt. To me like with Japanese sushi it brings out the fish and unlike sushi the fish is the main part. They do have ogo to add as well as masago, avo and cucumber, all solid ingredients, but what I was looking for is limu the thinner greener seaweed, too many places just use wakame which is all too often laden with sugars and overdone with sesame seeds untoasted. I like the waimea spice, but probably would just prefer sriracha since I don't like the mayo and it overpowers the salty snap of masago/tobiko. Kimchi is another good add on, oh wait they don't have that either, that's a super simple item to make in house. Salmon isn't nearly as popular as tuna is in Hawaii and in fact it's rare, but I see the value in it where it's more readily available here. The sandwich pops with the papaya dressing and the alfalfa's neutrality not overpowering the tuna, even on bread. Serving sizes are small and large, small is small and large is still small. Personally I would add some other items like a ponzu and the 2 main things missing I've previously stated. Yellowtail tuna, a bit of soy, a bit of shoyu, a bit of ponzu, green onions, sweet onions, toasted sesame seeds, kukui nuts, limu, ogo, masago and ginger is how I make it most of the time. Sometimes I'll throw in sriracha or kimchi. The fish is fresh, but knowing fish mongers and fisherman personally I asked where they source their fish from. They weren't able to tell me, not a good sign, so ike jime may not have been used, to me making it not sashimi grade. I think poke itself is super popular as you can tell by the crowds and reviews, but I think to do it justice you need to go the extra mile here. It's a pretty good starting place for sushi lovers interested in a more diverse fish dish, but also something that was meant to be perfected in the home and to personal preference because it really is quite...

FOOD SAFETY ISSUE: DO NOT EAT HERE

There are a couple problems with this place that are serious food safety issues.

1. There was a BONE in my Poke (Picture below). Anyone who eats sashimi or Poke knows this is a serious food safety issue and can choke or kill someone. I showed the bone to the manager and he said “We do the best we can but sometimes bones remain”. Unacceptable!

2. All the Salmon has skin and fat left on its edges that gives it a bitter taste. I have eaten Poke in a hundred places and never seen this. Manager didn’t take this complaint seriously either!

3. They say their fish is “Fresh” but they don’t follow standards to make it sashimi grade. Anyone knows that you have to keep fish at certain temperatures for certain times to meet sashimi grade criteria!!

Many more complaints as well but this was the most important issues. I am not going to eat here...

Hands-down my favorite poke and one of the few restaurants in OC that I crave! I've been ordering the exact same thing for over a year, and while I want to branch out and try other sauces - I love combining the Coconut Waimea and Spicy-Teri too much to stray. A large bowl with half rice / half greens as the base, ahi and salmon, (the two sauces mentioned above), and all the free toppings is the way to go! They offer a locals discount if you live in Huntington Beach and a discount for paying cash. Even before Covid, I'd take these bowls to go and eat them on the beach. Their poke bowls are very Hawaiian-style and the sauces are what really set them apart from other spots! I'm happy with the portions, taste, and prices...will continue to reorder and...