Candice Wagener
A colorful combo of baby octopus, spicy tuna, salmon, edamame, sunflower seeds, pickled ginger, purple cabbage, imitation crab salad, sesame seeds and spicy mayo.
As should be painfully evident by this time, 2018 has become the year of poke. Not only is the Hawaiian raw fish bowl popping up everywhere on the menus of non-poke restaurants, there are now four dedicated poke spots including the new Poke It Up in the former Erbert and Gerbert’s at 540 University Ave. And there’s at least one more on the way. What differentiates Poke Plus & Teriyaki, open since April on lower State Street, from the crowd?
Whereas its competition serves pre-designed bowl combos as well as build-your-own bowls, it’s all DIY at Poke Plus. If you’re brand new to poke like I was, that can be overwhelming. The order counter features enough prepped ingredients to make your head spin. Panic can set in as you are tasked with telling the server which to put in your bowl. If you go in incredibly hungry or unsure of what works well together, you may end up with some interesting — but not necessarily successful — concoctions.
A helpful diagram walks diners through the process; the servers act as guides as well. Step one, pick your size. Regular will be enough for kids or someone with a smaller appetite; the large size works well for adults. I’m not sure whose appetite would require the super.
Then choose from white or brown rice, mixed greens, or half rice/half greens. That’s the easy part.
Toppings are where diners may struggle to find the right balance. With 20 different toppings, they can’t all taste good together. (Several of them incur an additional charge, so keep an eye on add-ins so you don’t end up with a $25 poke bowl.) Corn, carrots, purple cabbage, edamame, avocado, sunflower seeds, pineapple and mango are all good choices. Try the tobiko (flying fish roe) for a little bit of crunch. Or opt for the kani salad, a Japanese-style mix of thin strips of imitation crab, mayonnaise, sriracha and masago (another type of roe), that provides both good flavor and creaminess.
Next up, a protein. Diners pick two, three or five, depending on bowl size. Both the poke salmon and poke tuna are generous chunks of raw, sushi-grade fish marinated in sesame oil, lime juice and soy sauce. I was not a fan of the spicy tuna or the spicy salmon, however. I had been hoping for the same larger chunks of fish with a little more heat; the heat was there, but the texture of the fish was much finer, more like a puree. The baby octopus was chewy and flavorless, so I’d skip that. Those who prefer their protein cooked can choose shrimp or chicken; both were tasty. Vegetarians have the option of tofu.
Sauce is another quandary. There are nine to choose from. Several are soy-based and don’t seem all that different from each other. The spicy mayo is not, in fact, spicy, but still good. The spicy yuzu, a mix of grapefruit juice and jalapeno, is a better bet if that’s what you’re looking for. The poke sauce is the way to go if you want more salt in your bowl, and both the ginger dressing and the panzu will add a tangy element. Plentiful options for a sweet finish are also available: sweet chili, sweet wasabi and eel.
Standard garnishes like scallions, sesame seeds and pickled ginger won’t ever disappoint. Definitely go with the tempura crunch: it really doesn’t affect flavor, but the crunch adds a depth of texture to your bowl.
I found a bowl with a mix of white rice and mixed greens topped with poke salmon and poke tuna, avocado, pineapple, edamame, sunflower seeds, purple cabbage, tobiko, pickled ginger, tempura crunch, sesame seeds, scallions and spicy mayo was just the right combination to hit all my taste buds.
If you’re unsure if poke is your thing, you’re not in a decision-making mood, or you’re looking for something a bit more hearty, go with teriyaki. This preparation takes about 10 minutes, and is the star of the show if you dine in, because it comes out steaming and sizzling on a hot plate. The mixture of protein (chicken, steak or shrimp), sweet-savory brown sauce, and perfectly-cooked vegetables served with a side of rice is the kind of dish that works for pretty much anybody.
While there’s an avalanche of poke in Madison right now, Poke Plus’s prime location and its customizable, walk-up concept allows for a fast, fresh meal in an area where the customers are increasingly demanding that be the case.
Poke Plus & Teriyaki
615 State St.; 608-630-9283; facebook.com/PokePlusMadison;
Hours: 10 am-9:30 pm Mon.-Thurs., 10 am-10 pm Fri.-Sat., 11 am-9:30 pm Sun.;
Handicap accessible; $9-$15