Pulling off a a poke bowl starts with really really fresh raw fish. Not exactly what I would consider an easy feat in any city, let alone one surrounded by concrete.
I am not a restaurant snob. I am an ingredient snob. When my husband asked if I wanted to grab poke bowls one evening, I was not exactly enthused. I am a fairly good chef and low quality fish was low, low, low on the totem pole.
The first spot we walked into was cute-ish, but smelled fishy. I glanced over at the selection and the ingredients looked… forlorn and exactly what I had been dreading.
Less then a minute later and we were back out the door. Hard pass.
When we walked into Malibu Poke, however— the air was fragrant with fresh herbs, spices and a crisp, clean interior.
I regularly get asked by clients/friends about tasty and healthy spots for lunch. True, I can dig through most menus and build a healthy and satisfying meal, but I haven’t started to really build a list of “go-to” spots until just recently. Malibu Poke 100% makes the cut.
Right as you walk into Malibu Poke, you get a gist of what they’re about.
The walls explain their dedication to the freshness and sustainability of the fish they source and the local ingredients they curate.
There are also vegan options that include sweet potato and tofu and you can easily access a chart that breaks down allergens in the food.
As a nutritionist that reads menus for my clients regularly, I love how Malibu Poke makes it easy to create a poke bowl for every lifestyle— whether Keto, Vegan, Whole30, or just your Average Joe that loves a damn good poke bowl.
One of the first things I personally appreciated about Malibu Poke was the ability to build your own bowl on a simple visual touchscreen, choosing from 3 different sizes and a variety of colorful ingredients.
I was equally enthused that I could build a bowl with a base of massaged kale, instead of rice (and loved that you could alternatively choose cauliflower rice, or a combo). I doubled up on protein with a variety of veggies and fresh herbs. I also found it to be a relief that I could hold the sauce and I didn’t have to explain my soy and gluten allergy to anyone. Gah! I hate having to explain that stuff.
We ordered medium bowls and they were ready in minutes.
The raw salmon and tuna were perfectly chilled and fresh enough to not even require dressing, in my opinion. The kale was simply seasoned with the appropriate amount of “massaging,” so that it was still crisp but not offensively fibrous, or heavily marinated and the veggies were fresh and colorful.
My husband built a bowl with all the things— rice, fish, sauces and he was happier than a Texan at a steak house.
We stopped by a few nights later in seek of a light, fast dinner and upgraded our bowls to the largest size with extra proteins and kale. It was even better than before.
After checking out the website, I realized that much of their menu is chef inspired.
Cool cool.
We’re just thrilled to have a reliable place to grab a tasty and healthy meal.
Grab and Go.
Stay and chill… they also serve adult beverages.
Make a date out of it.
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