Out and About: Pittsburgh Poke

If you’ve spent any quality time at all on the Food Network or watching Andrew Zimmern on the Travel Channel, you know that the Hawaiian dish poke (pronounced poh-kay) is a big deal! And Pittsburgh is in on it with the arrival of Pittsburgh Poke, which recently opened at 500 Liberty Avenue.

In some ways this location is a bit like a glorified salad bar, it’s fast and casual. When you arrive, I advise grabbing a menu and getting in line. Your first difficult decision is to determine whether or not you want to try a sushi bowl or burrito (both times I’ve tried a bowl). Then you decide what you would like for your base which includes grain options, as well as mixed greens, or half and half (I’ve loved the half and half). Then you have to choose from a wide variety of protein. Traditional poke tends to be raw fish, so I’ve given both the tuna and spicy tuna a try, you have the option of two or three protein choices for your meal, I can also give big thumbs up to the tofu.

Next comes the incredible variety of toppings: from veggies, to fruits, to spices, seeds, seasonings, and more, this is your opportunity to get creative. The last tough choice is the sauce. There are multiple sauce options, but both visits I’ve gone for the citrus ponzu sauce. That said, other diners I’ve been with have tried the traditional poke sauce, as well as the sweet wasabi and gave both of those big compliments.

If you happen to show up and see a line, take the chance, it moves quickly and you won’t be sorry with this new delicious, healthy meal!

By Leigh White, PDP VP of Marketing and Communications