Poke
It started with Poke Lab—it’s pronounced poh-KEE—which opened in downtown Monterey in January 2016 and has been bustling since day one. The fast-casual combination of fresh fish—on a salad or rice base, along with a host of topping and sauce options—proved a smashing success. It didn’t take long for other restaurateurs to take note: Later in the year, 2016 brought Poke House in Marina, Poke Lab’s own food truck, and by year’s end, plans for a Poke Stix in Seaside (from the owners of nearby Chopstix), Poke Time in New Monterey (from the owners of Seaside’s Sushi Time), Cannery Row Poke House (from the owners of Poke House in Marina) and Poke Bar at the Dunes in Marina. What does it all mean? We may be approaching “peak poke,” but we’re not there yet.