Island Poké has launched its own veggie version of the Ahi Poké bowl at all its stores using a plant-based sashimi ingredient that mimics the flavour of the original fish dish.
Yes, you read it right: vegan sashimi is possible and Island Poké has announced the secret ingredient: “watermelon and a bit of magic”.
Launched on 20 June, the vegan poke bowl uses the restaurant’s Ahi Shoyu recipe: marinating the traditional spices and flavours with watermelon ‘sashimi’ pieces in place of the usual tuna, making it 100% natural and 100% vegan.
A poké fan, Steph (@lady__knight), sampled the new dish and said on Instagram: "Same flavours as the real deal except the “tuna” has a more crunchy (watermelony) texture."
Poké, pronounced poh-keh, is an authentic Hawaiian dish made from cubed fish pieces which are marinated in a spicy sauce mixture: traditionally made with soy sauce, sesame seeds, rice vinegar, sesame oil, green onions, and red pepper flakes. The poké bowl concept combines the marinated fish into a more sustainable meal by placing it atop sushi rice or slaw with fruit salsas, seaweeds, salad greens, pickles and any other garnish of your choice.
Island Poké’s new take on the Ahi bowl includes the watermelon sashimi pieces served on a bed of rice with seaweed, spring onion, a spicy pineapple salsa, shallots that are fried until crispy and is finished with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Grab the chopsticks and tuck into your own bowl of vegan sashimi at any of the seven Island Poké stores around London, such as Kingly Street in Soho, Canary Wharf, Shoreditch, Broadgate Circle and the newly opened store in Victoria.
Island Poké serves up a build-your-own-bowl concept, alongside the house bowls, where you can choose a number of ingredients to make up your own “BesPoké bowl”. Base it with a choice of sushi rice, brown rice, greens or coleslaw, top with Ahi tuna, yuzu salmon or roasted beetroot and finish with a salsa and a range of toppings.
The Hawaiian-inspired chain is also doing its part for the environment by cutting down on single use plastics by recently releasing a biodegradable poke bowl made from fully compostable sugar cane pulp, which decomposes in 119 days.
Looking for more plant-based options in and around the Big Smoke? Read our article on the best vegan food in London.