A poke bowl a day might not keep the doctor away, but this new Los Angeles food trend might have you believing it will! Packed with healthy, raw ingredients like seaweed salad, cucumber, onion, ginger, carrots, kale and more atop a brown or white rice base, add raw salmon or tuna, and you’re in for a healthy meal that will have your taste buds singing.

With fast causal poke bowl restaurants popping up left and right, how do you know which ones are legit? TGIFguide was invited to give The Poke Shack on Melrose a try, and here’s what went down:

The location was super convenient and I easily found street parking right across the street. There are tables out on the patio and community style bar seating inside. The restaurant is open and airy and feels very clean. The bathroom was also nice and featured cute Hawaiian inspired decor, which is definitely a big plus as bathrooms in fast causal spots tend to be overlooked and basic. Good job, The Poke Shack!

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The staff was very welcoming and I was introduced to the Marketing Manager, Mo, who recommended I try the fresh young coconuts that are on offer in the drinks section. There’s nothing like a fresh coconut to go with your fresh poke bowl! The Poke Shack also offers a range of fresh pressed juices and sodas.

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I ended up choosing to go with the “Big Daddy” with tuna poke, brown rice and an array of delicious toppings. I got a couple sauces on the side as well, since they all sounded so tasty and I couldn’t choose just one. Definitely try the Sriracha Aioli if you’re a Sriracha fan!

The Poke Shack also has salads for those on a low carb diet, and you can also choose to add an extra scoop of fish if you’re looking for that extra protein. Keep scrolling to see how my poke bowl turned out!

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I love how The Poke Shack is integrated into the Melrose community and offer 10% off to all Groundlings students!

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Oh, and if you’re looking for a job in addition to a healthy meal, you’ll be happy to know that The Poke Shack is hiring! I snapped a photo of the sign in their window to help spread the word. 😉

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Want to create your own poke bowl? Visit our friends at the The Poke Shack location on Melrose, or if you’re a west sider you can also check out their new Venice Boardwalk location! To make your poke mission even easier, you can also quite simply order online. Be sure to tell them TGIFguide sent you!

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Enjoy!

 

Written by Jacqueline Chambers

Jacqueline Chambers

Jacqueline Chambers is the founder of TGIFguide. She uses her innate skills as a natural “connector” to serve businesses, brands and individuals in the LA area and beyond.