Raw Fish Coming

Master list of Hawaiian poke restaurants flooding Dallas

Dallas, prepare yourself for an onslaught of poke.

Photo courtesy of Ahi Poke

If you like seafood and fiendishly follow dining trends, you already know about poke, the raw fish sensation from Hawaii. If you do not, then get ready for the invasion of the poke bar, which will hit Dallas hard in 2017, with a ferociousness the likes of which has not been seen since the FroYo Avalanche of 2010.

Poke (pronounced poh-kay) is a raw fish salad from Hawaii, like a rustic version of sashimi that's served in a bowl. Poke means chunk (and btw, no accent on the e). Poke has been a big trend in California and is spreading to other cities such as New York, Miami, and now Dallas.

Most of the places that are opening take the Hawaiian dish and give it a Chipotle spin, wherein diners make their own, starting with a bowl where they add their own ingredients from a self-serve cafeteria-style line. Making it even less Hawaiian, many incorporate toppings such as quinoa, zucchini noodles, and tomatoes.

Some places serve appetizers like edamame; some also have a companion beverage program.

A couple of poke bars have already opened, but at least a half dozen are in the works for early 2017. Here's the list:

Ahi Poke Bowl
Arlington poke place was an early entry, opening in April 2016 at 3701 Cooper St. Owner Khang Vo hails from Hawaii and comes by his poke knowledge first-hand. The restaurant does the usual bowl deal, with a variety of bases that include white rice, brown rice, salad, or even a rice-salad combo.

Below 40
Poke hit Plano with this player, which opened in March at the intersection of Park and Preston roads, in the former How Do You Roll sushi spot. Its menu has many options, including a large selection of beverages, such as bubble tea, smoothies, iced coffee, ice cream, and green tea shaved ice.

Bowls and Tacos
While not a poke-only place, there'll nonetheless be poke on the menu at this new restaurant from the team behind Deep Ellum brewpub Braindead Brewing. It's going into the gorgeous vintage Gulf station at the corner of Canton and Commerce streets, and will open mid-spring.

Freshfin Poke Co.
This poke place will open in February in the former Zini’s Pizzeria space at 3611 Greenville Ave. Freshfin is the first Dallas concept from Joon Choe, a Culinary Institute of America grad and private chef who once worked at Jean Georges restaurant in New York.

Go Fish Poke
Poke place is opening in Preston Center in the former Project Pie space. The Neapolitan pizza trend of 2016 makes way for the poke trend of 2017. Owner Tony Lin says that it follows the model of Chipotle, where diners make their own bowls, starting with a base of salad or rice. Lin, who owns a Japanese restaurant in Rockwall, forecasts a January opening date.

Hoki Poki
Poke place opened in Richardson in early September, near the University of Texas at Dallas, off Campbell Road. You can build your own poke bowl, but they also serve poke burritos — which look like giant sushi rolls — along with braised ribs and boba smoothies.

Poke Bop
Poke place is opening at 4103 Lemmon Ave., in a location that was previously home to a Yogurt Zone frozen yogurt place. Is there anything more symbolic? It'll open in mid-spring. In its favor, it's situated right next to a Starbucks.

Poké Point
Food stall at Carrollton's 99 Ranch Market is already open and was among the first poke places in DFW. Diners build bowls with greens or rice and choose form an assembly line of vegetables, sauces, and other garnishes.

Pok the Raw Bar
This poke place will open in the former Union Bear space in West Village. In addition to poke bowls and a large raw bar, Pok will also serve cutting-edge matcha drinks. It comes from SMU students Brandon Cohanim and Francois Reihani and chef Jimmy Park, formerly of Dallas’ Nobu.

Sasa Sushi
New Japanese restaurant opening in Lakewood does not have the word "poke" in its name, but be not alarmed. There will be poke. Sasa Sushi is from restaurateur Dylan Choi, and is going into the old Jerry's Wood-Fired Dogs space, which closed in October. Sasa will serve sushi, sashimi, and poke. It's slated to open in January.

trends openings

Downtown Dining

Indian restaurant Gymkhana adds an urban touch to downtown Dallas

Gymkhana

A plush new Indian restaurant is now open in the heart of downtown Dallas: Called Gymkhana, it's located at 1408-1410 Main St., in the former Which Wich Sandwich/Birdguesa space, where it's serving a wide range of Indian dishes in an elegant, upscale setting.

Gymkhana is from prolific restaurateur Praveen Prasannan, an industry veteran with international experience working at hotels and on cruise ships. Prasannan is also the owner of Shivas Bar and Grill, an elevated Indian concept he owns with his brother Prinu, with outlets in downtown Dallas and in Allen; and Elephant Bar & Grill, another upscale Indian brand with locations in East Dallas and Bishop Arts.

Gymkhana — which is no relation to a London-based concept with the same name — is Prasannan's latest creation, and furthers his mission to champion authentic Indian food — from all parts of India, including Mumbai, where he's from — in a nicer environment than other Indian restaurants in the area.

The menu features traditional Indian dishes but with an occasional contemporary flair. Soups, for example, include a traditional madras tomato soup next to a lobster bisque. There are classics like samosas but also adventurous fusion items like hummus with garlic naan, or mussels "Indian style" with velvet tikka sauce.

They offer a number of dishes baked tandoori-style in a clay oven that imparts an irresistible smokiness, in dishes such as lamb and chicken kebabs.

Like most Indian restaurants, Gymkhana is vegetarian-friendly, even offering vegan dishes such as chana masala — chickpeas in a spicy tomato-onion sauce. Prices are relatively low, with entrees averaging about $21.

"I wanted to make sure it was affordable — that was important," Prasannan says.

GymkhanaGymkhana

Decor
The restaurant is inspired by the traditional social clubs of India, celebrating the spirit of togetherness and conversation, designed with intricate detail, Prasannan says.

"I brought in antiques from India to create a distinctive atmosphere, to give the restaurant a strong identity," he says.

The facade features centuries-old hand-carved wooden doors, with a row of lights across the top that reflect down on the sidewalk and give the entry a sophisticated, big-city feel.

The interior boasts royal blue jewel-toned banquettes, sparkling chandeliers, and hand-painted murals depicting regal figures, elephants, and intricate patterns — a combination of modern and traditional.

The space combines what was previously two storefronts with seating for up to 150, and that was intentional, Prasannan says.

"One of my priorities was to be able to offer a place for private parties and events — we receive so many requests," he says.

He's also a big believer in bringing Indian food to the center of Dallas. The majority of Indian restaurants are in suburbs like Irving, Plano, Richardson, Frisco — but Prasannan's restaurants are all in inner city areas like East Dallas, Bishop Arts, and downtown Dallas.

Their presence lends a cosmopolitan urban touch to their neighborhoods — and Gymkhana does it one better with late-night hours, staying open until 11 pm on weeknights and 1 am on weekends.

downtown openings