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

News you can eat

Spring menus have sprung in this edition of Dallas restaurant news

Photo courtesy of Elaine's Cocktail Kitchen

Elaine's Cocktail Kitchen is adding brunch service.

Like the Dallas weather lately, this restaurant news roundup keeps us on our toes. New menus and dishes are popping up for spring, but they'll be gone soon - they're extremely limited-time offerings, or "LTO" as the kids say. We've also got a few restaurant openings, some chef news, new brunch, and new drinks.

Here's what's happening in Dallas dining right now:

Palladino’s Steak & Seafood, the buzzy restaurant that's the toast of NYC, has hired Henry Johnson as chef de cuisine for the forthcoming Preston Royal location. He’ll oversee daily kitchen operations and execute the menu from executive chef and partner Sam Hazen. A veteran Dallas chef, Johnson previously led kitchens at Bistro 31 and Evelyn and competed on Season 24 of Hell’s Kitchen. The "modern steakhouse," from founder Joseph Palladino, will feature prime steaks and seafood; an opening date has not yet been announced.

Grandma’s Country Kitchen, a Southern-inspired, family-style restaurant, is opening March 23 in Southern Dallas, at the corner of Camp Wisdom Road and Highway 67 (aka the former South Dallas Cafe space). The menu features comfort classics like fried chicken, catfish, mashed potatoes, green beans, and desserts such as peach cobbler and banana pudding. Guests can also take advantage of catering services and events at the attached sister venue, The Reserve at Redbird, which accommodates up to 330 guests for all types of celebrations.

West Village in Uptown Dallas has seen a flurry of new openings lately: healthy restaurant Toastique; Chicago-inspired tavern D.L. Mack's; and martini hot spot Hudson House.

A few more new openings:

Texas Roadhouse, home of the hand-cut steaks, fall-off-the-bone ribs, and famous rolls with cinnamon butter, has opened a new location in West Dallas, at 3620 Dallas-Ft. Worth Turnpike.
Stop-N-Go Gyros, the fast-casual Mediterranean shop that's popular for takeout, opened 17421 Preston Rd. in North Dallas.
Bojangles, the cult-favorite fried chicken spot, has opened at 210 S. Central Expressway in McKinney.

Elaine’s Cocktail Kitchen in downtown Frisco has expanded its brunch to both Saturdays and Sundays from 11 am-3 pm, featuring European-inspired, shareable dishes paired with craft cocktails. Highlights include horchata French toast, Elaine’s Benedict with short rib or blue crab, smoked salmon tartine, potato-rosemary frittata, and cannoli cream crepes, along with lighter options like overnight oats and seasonal parfaits.

Nobu Dallas will celebrate cherry blossom season with two limited-time offerings - a drink and a dessert - March 23-April 12. The Sakura Negroni ($22) combines Awayuki Strawberry Gin, Lillet Blanc, Aperol, and Sakura Blossom Tea for a floral, strawberry-forward twist on the classic cocktail. The Strawberry-Elderflower Sorbet ($19) features meringue blossoms, white chocolate-honey namelaka, and cookie crumbs for a spring-inspired sweet treat.

Nobu sorbet Strawberry-Elderflower Sorbet at Nobu.Photo courtesy of Nobu

Black Sheep Coffee is debuting a limited-time “Banana Arcade” menu for spring, featuring banana-flavored drinks including iced and hot lattes, matcha lattes, frappes, and a cold brew topped with salted caramel foam.

Buzz and Bustle coffee shop at The Village on March 23 is launching a limited-time spring menu, featuring four seasonal drinks: the Black & White with matcha or cold brew and white chocolate foam; a cucumber-mint “Green Daydream;” a carrot cake latte; and a banana fosters-inspired nitro cold brew.

Apothecary Bar and Flamant Bar & Bistro have teamed up for "Martini Madness," a bracket-style competition running March 18-April 5, on Wednesdays through Sundays, whereby guests can sip and vote for their favorite pours. The tournament features rotating matchups of classic and signature martinis, aka $10 “Tiny-Tinis,” with winners determined by a combination of in-person orders and social media votes. Prizes include complimentary drinks for correct picks on a bracket and a $200 gift card for a perfect bracket.

Torchy’s Tacos is introducing a whole new menu category: nachos, available for a limited time this spring. The nachos layer crispy tortilla chips with Torchy's signature green chile queso, pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream, with optional additions like fajita chicken, steak, pork, or brisket. A smaller version of the nacho plate is also available during weekday “Hooky Hour” from 2-5 pm, alongside half-price beer and house margaritas.

Torchy's nachos.Photo courtesy of Torchy's

Smalls Sliders is adding its first new slider flavor: the BBQ Bacon Jalapeño Slider, available now for a limited time. The new burger puts a smoky-spicy twist on the signature cheeseburger, with BBQ sauce, crispy bacon, and pickled jalapeños.

HTeaO is adding trendy, buzzy matcha drinks to the menu, starting March 20. They'll debut three flavors — churro, strawberry, and lemon lavender — all topped with new cold foam. Cold foam is also being added as a permanent topper for any drink; there are also now churro bites offered as a sweet pairing.

Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille has introduced a new Anniversary Celebration Menu, a $90-per-person prix-fixe meal designed for milestone events. The menu includes champagne and rose-petal table accents, shared starters like a cold seafood tower or filet bites, a choice of soup or salad, a shared entrée such as Chateaubriand or Beef Wellington, and a dramatic flaming dessert finale. Available by request at all locations.

Barrel & Bones is jumping on the bandwagon of a viral cocktail trend: the soft-serve margarita. Now available at its Inwood Road location, soft-serve frozen 'ritas are priced at $8 and come in flavors such as passion fruit, strawberry, peach, and mango. They tout them as the the first offering of their kind in North Texas inspired by the current TikTok craze.

Soft-serve frozen margarita at Barrel & Bones.Photo courtesy of Barrel & Bones

Puerto Cocina & Bar, the Baja-inspired spot from the team behind Xaman Café, Ayahuasca Cantina, and Señor Oink, has launched a seasonal menu featuring fresh seafood, coastal Baja flavors, and Mexican wines. The Dallas Design District restaurant now also offers lunch, in addition to dinner service.

Soulman’s Bar-B-Que has brought back its fan-favorite Boss Hog sandwich, through May 20 only. The gut buster features four slow-smoked meats - sausage, pulled pork, hickory-smoked ham, and crispy bacon - stacked on a sweet King’s Hawaiian bun. Available as a sandwich ($9.99) or combo with a side and drink ($14.99).

Maple Street Biscuit Company is marking spring with a limited-time menu featuring fresh berries, available through May 19. Highlights include Double Berry Waffles topped with strawberries and whipped cream; Bonuts with berry icing; Very Berry Lemonade; and an Iced Berry Latte.

Rowdy Cowboy in The Colony and Grapevine are adding some hearty new dishes, including steak frites, quesabirria tacos, a 9-oz choice filet, and Cowboy Parmesan chicken Milanese. They still offer handcrafted cocktails with a 40-foot oak bar, 70 large-screen TVs, 32 ice-cold beer taps, and more than 35 bourbons and whiskeys.

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