Hawaiian Poke comes North

 The new trend hitting Toronto is Poke Bowls.  They are popping up everywhere.  The latest Poke spot is NORTH POKE in Kensington Market.  I was invited to sample some of their authentic Hawaiian Poke Bowls.  I entered the tiny shop on Baldwin and was greeted by the owner also named Linda, who wanted to create an true Poke shop and more of a fish market place.  They receive their fish daily and prepare everything fresh and in limited quantities.  Fresh Tuna is very expensive so it makes sense to order only enough for the day to keep the costs down and the fish fresh.

North Poke owner Linda

 It's a tiny shop so a small group of bloggers and foodies were invited to try 3 different poke bowls and Musubi which is a Spam Sushi type of thing.

We sampled 3 poke bowls:

1. The Big Wave - Albacore Tuna, charred Jalapeno citrus dressing, black garlic, shallots and mayo.

2.  Hawaii Classic - Ahi Tuna, shoyu dressing, cucumber, onions, nori, toasted sesame, fried shallots, avocado, macadamia nuts, house aoili, green onions and seaweed salad.

3.  Waimea -  Salmon, togarashi aoili, avocado, edamame, pickled onion, seaweed salad and fried shallots.

I think this is also the order of my preference.  The Big Wave was light and creamy and a nice balance of flavours.

The great thing about North Poke is that it comes in 3 sizes.  A snack size, the regular size and the large size.  The prices range from just over $5 to about $15.

This is a great fast fresh lunch on the run.  Grab a bowl and go.  It's the perfect fast food.  They do all the chopping and assembling and you just eat and go.

The shop is tiny but very cute with little kitchy touches like ukelele's on the wall and Hawaiian inspired art.  This shop fits perfectly in the Kensington market area with diverse original foods that have a lot of whimsy in the spaces.  It's the cutest Poke shop that I have seen so far.

Check it out at:

North Poke
179 Baldwin Street,
Toronto, ON
info@northpoke.com
Twitter @NorthPokeTO
Instagram @NorthPoke

What is Canadian Food?

When someone says let's go get some Italian Food you automatically think Pasta or something like that.   When they say let's get Japanese Food you think about Sushi.  When someone says Greek Food you think Souvlaki and Pita bread.    Has anyone ever said "Let's go get some Canadian Food?".

What is Canadian Food anyway?   How come we don't have Canadian Food Restaurants?  You see restaurants called Chinese Dynasty or the Friendly Greek or the Mad Italian.   Why hasn't someone opened a restaurant called the Great Canadian other than the Superstore grocery store?

Poutine from Smoke's Poutinerie

What do you think of when people say Canadian food?  Do you think of Poutine?

Do you think about Maple Syrup and Pancakes?  Or maybe with some fresh Ontario Strawberries.

Maple pancakes, strawberries and chocolate chips

What about Canadian Bacon? Why do they call it Canadian Bacon?  Don't they eat it anywhere else?

Canadian Bacon and Egg Muffin

How about some BC Salmon?

Salmon and roasted potatoes

I think Canadian food is all of these things and more.  Canadian Food is an amalgamation of food influences from around the world.  We have all these things and but we aren't locked into a particular style and taste of food.  This is where our diversity comes in.  From pancakes to Fish we have foods that 1st, 2nd and 3rd Generation Canadians love.  

My Canadian Food is food that is accessible and full of flavour with spice influences from around the Globe.   It is simple and complicated at the same time.   

Classic things are a Back Bacon sandwich at the St. Lawrence Market or Poutine in Quebec, Salmon in BC,  Fiddleheads, PEI potatoes, the list goes on and on.

We do have Canadian food but as in a lot of things that are Canadian we don't celebrate our own and promote a Canadian Food identity and take on other culture's identities as our own.

I would like to see Canadian Food become a food trend that influences other cultures around the world.  Make your Canadian Bacon and go forth and spread the Canadian Bacon love.

Start your own Canadian Food trend with your friends and family.

Happy Canada Day.   Enjoy some Canadian Food on Canada Day with your friends and family!