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From the Kitchen

January 2013

Notes from the Road…Hawaiian Poke Tour

Standing behind the bar at our 9th Ave location, I was talking with Aaron Noveshen about poke when Aaron asked, “when are we going to pull the trigger and go to Hawaii for a poke tour?” Ten minutes later the flight was booked and the research and planning began.

Our goal was twofold: first, to search out the best poke we could find in Hawaii and bring back a new perspective on the classic Hawaiian dish, staking our claim as a unique poke destination in the Bay Area. Second, we wanted to re-establish relations with our Hawaiian fish connection by spending a little time at the Hawaiian Fish Auction.

We Arrive in Honolulu

I was sitting poolside in Waikiki taking a break after long day of eating poke, enjoying a deconstructed Mai tai with the ‘Tunapack’: Aaron, Keith, Tom and Steve. After only a few hours on the Island we had already visited four restaurants and markets that specialized in poke, ordering 8-10 different varieties at each location. There are rules you have to follow when attempting to eat your way through Hawaii one poke at a time. Rule 1: One Bite. Seems simple right? Good luck! I was averaging 2-3 bites of each poke. Rule 2: Go back to rule 1.

Our daily plan looked something like:

This went on for 3 days. I am excited to say I only came back nine pounds heavier, and with a new eating habit (or maybe ‘disorder’).

The Fish Auction

The Honolulu Fish Auction is the cornerstone of the Commercial Fishing Village on Pier 38. It is modeled after the famous auction in Tsukiji, Tokyo: large fish are sold individually rather than by the boatload to a wholesaler. It is the only fish auction from Maine to Tokyo; in fact it’s the only tuna auction of its kind in the United States. Fishing boats tie up and unload their catch just a few feet from this modern state-of-the-art facility.

We meet with John Hernandez of John’s Fresh Fish, and watched as buyers openly bid against each other for the best price and quality of fish. Hundreds of fish were displayed on pallets on the auction floor. Up to 160,000 lbs of fish can be auctioned a day. There was tuna (Big Eye and Yellow Fin), Mahi Mahi, Moonfish (Opah), Swordfish, Escolar, Snappers, (Opakapaka-true red snapper), as well as Shark. After the Auction, we enjoyed some of that very fresh fish for breakfast at Nico’s Pier 38, which included of course… a bunch of poke.

The Hawaiian fishery has a strong sustainable stance, meeting both national and international requirements for science-based, precautionary fishery management. These undertakings include managing sustainability in fish populations and controlling fishery impacts on the ecosystem.

A Tail of Two Pokes

(actually about 100 pokes)

As a team of chefs, restaurateurs and foodies, we sought to experience the essence of Hawaii and its people through the food. Stubbornly passionate to go off the beaten path, we were not after the hottest new restaurants. In fact, the one we did try (Iron Chef) proved to be our least favorite. What interested us were the overlooked places where you’ll find locals after work: holes in the wall, dives on the outskirts of town (the hood – yes Honolulu has a hood), dilapidated markets, alleys, and places that had no names (maybe they had names, but they weren’t listed anywhere on the bricks and mortar). This was a true poke adventure.

Our Hawaiian Poke tour was a mix of cross-cultural culinary magic, loud shirts, girly drinks and, thankfully, only faint sounds of cartoonish luaus in the background. It was our first real culinary adventure as a team, and probably not our last, back to the roots of our fresh fish grill. Safe to say, you can expect a variety of new pokes in 2013…