In honor of International Poke Day — coming up on Monday, Sept. 28 — Ahi & Vegetable is giving out free mini poke bowls at all of its locations (except downtown Honolulu) from 2 to 6 p.m. No purchase is necessary to get a free mini poke bowl. Ahi & Vegetable’s ‘Ewa Beach location is not usually open on Mondays, but it will be open on International Poke Day.
For the free bowls, customers can choose from three new poke flavors — Hawaiian chili garlic, hot shoyu or creamy California. One free mini poke bowl will be available per guest, while supplies last, in-store only.
The creamy California is inspired by the California roll and features avocado and masago, according to Ahi & Vegetable chef and director of operations Paul Santos.
“The spicy ‘ahi sells really well at our Ala Moana location,” he says. “The California poke has fresh cucumber and avocado, which add that crunch factor and creaminess.”
The hot shoyu poke is savory and nutty with a spicy kick.
“I’m a huge fan of hot shoyu poke,” Santos says. “I think shoyu poke is the simplest form of poke with sweet onions, local green onions and Aloha Shoyu. We added different spices like sambal, Sriracha and Hawaiian chili peppers. I like a lot of spice, so it adds a little more excitement. When you eat it, you get instant flavor; if you like spicy, I think you’ll really like that one.”
Meanwhile, Hawaiian chili garlic features a bold garlic flavor. Each mini poke bowl includes four ounces of pure fish and one ounce of sauce, according to Santos.
The three new poke flavors will officially join Ahi & Vegetable’s permanent menu after International Poke Day. While customers can choose from the three flavors for the free mini bowl, Ahi & Vegetable’s other poke flavors — including spicy ‘ahi, sweet ginger guava poke, and ginger scallion poke — will also be available. Mini poke bowls usually cost $14.99 each, according to Santos.
“The spicy ‘ahi hits you with three different flavor profiles — sweet, creamy and heat,” he explains. “There’s kewpie mayo, togarashi chili pepper flakes and some honey to pull everything together.
“Trying to make your own spicy ‘ahi in a sea of many spicy ‘ahi pokes is very hard,” he adds.
For those who want shoyu ‘ahi poke without the spice, Santos recommends trying the sweet ginger guava poke. For those who want something unique, he suggests the kajiki mochi crunch poke or ginger scallion poke, which he says is his favorite flavor.
“The kajiki mochi crunch poke is a sweet, honey oyster glaze with mochi crunch crumbles,” Santos explains. “I think locals will appreciate it because it tastes very familiar. Kajiki is a really misunderstood fish; it’s hard to work with because of its firmness. The mochi crunch gives an illusion that the fish is softer because you’re fixated on the crunch of it.
“I’m a big fan of cold, ginger chicken,” he adds, regarding the ginger scallion poke. “I think it has an all-purpose sauce.”
Santos explains that the newer poke flavors have been in the works for some time, and that the company wanted to expand its poke selection for International Poke Day.
“It’s very hard not to create something new that is also not trendy or going to be a fad,” he says. “I love traditional shoyu poke, which is why I created a hot shoyu poke. I wanted to do a sweet variation with a Hawaiʻi touch, so that’s how we got the guava flavor. Now is a great time to showcase what Ahi & Vegetable has in store.”
For more information, visit Ahi & Vegetable’s website.
Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
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