The Poke House brings one of the fastest growing menu trends in the U.S. to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in the Victoria Park Shoppes, 666 Federal Highway. Opened in October, the new fast casual eatery offers diners a fresh take on the wildly popular traditional Hawaiian seafood dish already well established on the West Coast. With an all-star team led by former Director of Operations of SBE Hospitality (SLS Hotels, Katsuya, Hyde) Memphis Garrett, coupled with a relaxed ambiance and the freshest seafood and ingredients, The Poke House is poised to become one of Fort Lauderdale’s go-to eateries for fast, fresh and affordable cuisine.
For The Poke House, Garrett has partnered with an impressive roster of talent including restaurateur David Cardaci (Whole Enchilada and Rhythm & Vine); Jason “Archie” Armstrong (Avoir Caviar and The Distinct Company, Inc.); LA-based Artie & Sara Baxter and Peter Walsh; and actor AJ Buckley, most known for his role as Adam Ross on “CSI: NY.” While the Fort Lauderdale location is the first, Garrett and his team have plans to open five additional outposts throughout Florida.
“We are excited to bring the poke concept to the Fort Lauderdale community and give our customers healthy, delicious food and attentive service seven days a week,” says Garrett.
Traditionally, a poke bowl is a Hawaiian based dish featuring diced sushi grade tuna marinated in soy and sesame, but poke has evolved into an explosion of styles and ingredients. At The Poke House, guests begin their culinary experience by choosing from a selection of proteins including tuna, salmon, Hamachi and tofu. From there, diners can build their own bowl ($9.95 and up) by selecting a base of steamed white rice, quinoa or kale and then choosing from over 20 sauces and toppings including chipotle mayo, aji amarillo lime, crispy lotus, black radish and more.
Those seeking direction in their poke experience can opt for one of the creative poke bowls, each inspired by a different region,($9.95 to $14.95) such as the West Coast inspired Venice Beach Cali—marinated in salsa verde, served with avocado, baby heirloom tomato, red onion, crispy lotus and seaweed nori, served over white rice; Cocoa Beach Florida—marinated in spicy passion fruit salsa fresca, served with crushed plantain chips, pineapple, orange, Fresno peppers and quinoa; Punta Hermosa Peru—marinated in aji amarillo lime emulsion, tossed with red onion, sweet potato, avocado and cancha, atop green rice; and the Jumunjin Beach Korea—marinated in Kimchi dressing and served with white sesame seeds, Kimchi, seasoned crushed cashews and scallions, finished with Yuzu tobiko.
In addition to poke bowls, the restaurant also features creative culinary delights ($9.25 and up) like Pipeline Nachos—pico-marinated fish served atop wonton chips with baby kale, avocado, cream cheese, chipotle mayo, black radish and masago; Mavericks Tacos – fresh catch served in house made crispy tortillas with chipotle mayo, purple cabbage, avocado mousse, green onion, sour cream and red radish; and North Shore Steam Buns—daily catch marinated in spicy passionfruit-ginger sauce cushioned in a Togarashi steam bun, topped with Kimchi, avocado puree, seaweed nori and crispy sweet potato.
Rounding out the menu are sweet treats including Chocolate Mousse with reese’s chips, vanilla whipped cream and shaved chocolate and Poke Sweet Fruit – sake infused fruit, poke sweet gelée, coconut foam and hazelnuts.
With a beverage program overseen by Chevy Farrell, formerly of Hyde Beach Kitchen & Cocktails, The Poke House offers a large selection of sake, available both on draft and by the bottle; white and rosè wine on draft and Big Island microbrew beers from Kona Brewing Company. Farrell also features a rotating selection of sake infusions such as mango-habanero sake and charred pineapple sake, as well as specialty sake cocktails.
With seating for up to 45, The Poke House is a vibrant, casual eatery combining rustic charm with a clean, modern edge. Reclaimed wood and grass walls frame the space, while white subway tiles, whitewashed flooring and quartz countertops create a fresh contemporary feel. Sea blue ceilings, neon signage and parrot wallpaper add a fun sense of whimsy and guests can enjoy their meals at the communal surfboard tables, one of the butcher block tables with taupe leather banquettes, or at the back bar.
