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South Bay Accent - Feb/Mar 2017

86 South Bay Accent FROM TOP: COURTESY OF FISH ME POKE; COURTESY OF POKE POKE FISH BAR; PREVIOUS SPREAD: GAMMA NINE PHOTOGRAPHY Popular Hawaiian eats reflect the cultural melting pot that is the state of Hawaii. Starting with the original 18th century haole (Caucasian) explorers who joined the Polynesian natives in this island paradise, waves of laborers from all over Asia and elsewhere came to the islands, bringing their food traditions with them. On the pineapple and sugarcane plantations in the early days, the plate lunch (evolving into scoops of rice, macaroni salad and a protein item) and saimin (a bowl of noodles with add-ins) were cheap, filling fuel. Both are plentiful in the Bay Area of late. In addition to their love of pork, Portuguese field hands in Hawaii imported the malasada (a rich doughnut), which is now a beloved Hawaiian delight—and available in the South Bay at the Portuguese Bakery in Santa Clara. Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Puerto Rican and Vietnamese laborers added influences like stir-frying, spicy dishes, raw fish preparations and ingredient staples such as chiles, lemongrass and ginger to the cuisine blender. Ironically, high-end restaurant food in Hawaii was mundanely European until a dozen local chefs including Alan Wong, Sam Cho and Roy Yamaguchi created Hawaiian Regional Cuisine—foodies in Hawaii now just call it HRC—in the early ’90s. They collaborated with farms and fishermen to popularize local ingredients and showcased Hawaii’s multiethnic styles in their soon-to-flourish restaurants. Yamaguchi, in particular, has seen enormous success. He has established a posh chain of 28 namesake restaurants spread across Hawaii, the continental United States, Japan and Guam. South Bay residents can sample his delightful HRC creations at the Roys locations in San Francisco and Pebble Beach. While serious homegrown craftsmanship and ingredient focus have helped get respect for HRC, thrifty diners from the South Bay and elsewhere are entranced by less costly street food with a Hawaiian pedigree. They compare notes on which place makes the best loco moco (rice, a hamburger patty, gravy and an egg), Spam musubi (grilled canned meat and rice wrapped together with nori seaweed) or has the most authentic shave ice (definitely not a snow cone!). The most passion-inducing Hawaiian import is poke, locations for which have been multiplying like bikini-clad bathers on a sunny day in Waikiki. While ancient Hawaiians consumed raw fish, the term poke, meaning “cut into pieces” in Hawaiian, didn’t emerge until the late ’60s, and it still took several more decades for the penchant for poke to travel across the Pacific. We’ve made up for lost time, with poke places here following a similar formula in which patrons shuffle past the bar to select their marinated protein of choice, primarily fish—along with some sort of rice or greens, sauce, toppings and other flavorful add-ins. Poke is commonly served in a bowl but can also be piled into a box or put inside a wrap. The freewheeling nature of the dish along with the health benefits of all those omega-3s have inspired poke entrepreneurs and garnered infatuated customers all over the South Bay and well beyond. Whether the dish is poke, Hawaiian street food or more ambitious HRC fare, there are plenty of choices for malihinis (Hawaii visitors) or kamaainas (those born in Hawaii) in our region to find some ono (delicious) Hawaiian grub and a warm feeling of aloha (welcome, affection). Here are a few to start with. POKE BAR FISH ME POKE THIS POKE BAR is all about lots of options, including fun garnishes like fried garlic, hot Cheetos, seaweed flakes and more. The fish portion is on the skimpy side and cut in small pieces, but guests like the more expansive menu that includes non-poke choices such as chicken katsu and tempura shrimp. A particularly popular item is a “pokerito,” a poke mix in a wrap with crispy coating. Spicy food lovers will appreciate tongue-searing sauce possibilities like habañero aioli and wasabi mayo. 3005 Silver Creek Road #186, San Jose, 669/234-3483; facebook.com/fishmepoke POKE BAR POKE POKE FISH BAR ANOTHER PARTICULARLY POPULAR spot, this poke bar offers more volume for the money, including an extra scoop of crab salad in the basic price. Guests love the many topping options, including crunchy choices like crispy onion flakes that add pleasing texture to a poke bowl. A condiment table inside lets diners get extra sauce, including the popular spicy aioli, which has a kick. Seasonal toppings like mango show up along with specials such as a delicious lobster salad. Unlike many teensy poke joints, this one has a bit more seating. 2362 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, 408/244-2110; pokepokefishbar.com


South Bay Accent - Feb/Mar 2017
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