The restaurant offers customers a range of ingredients and seafood from which they can create their own poké bowl, which is then assembled in front of them. Alex Chan summed it up in a press release: "Our goal is to help every customer find that elusive healthy balance of salty, sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, and umami in a fun, relaxed
and chill atmosphere.”
pokéLOVE is now open at Town & Country Village in Palo Alto. Photo by Elena Kadvany.
Start by choosing a base (brown or white rice, quinoa, farro, mixed greens, romaine lettuce, tortilla chips, soba noodles or rice noodles), then a protein, from ahi, yellowtail, albacore or spicy tuna to broiled tofu, scallops, octopus or even sous vide organic chicken. (Don't like your salmon raw? They'll bake it for you on request.) The seafood is sourced "from some of the best purveyors in the Bay Area and around the world," according to pokéLOVE.
Further customize with mix-ins and toppings like slaw, cucumbers, jicama, edamame, roasted vegetables, kimchi cabbage and sesame oil, among others. The restaurant pickles many of the vegetables in-house, including leeks, shiitake mushrooms and daikon. “Extra goodies” include a cage-free soft-poached egg, tamago (Japanese omelet), avocado, seaweed salad and macadamia nuts. Top it all off with one of 10 dressings, all of which are homemade and gluten-free, according to pokéLOVE’s website.
Several pokéLOVE bowls and sauces. Photo courtesy pokéLOVE.
For those who are overwhelmed by the amount of choice, pokéLOVE also offers pre-set bowls like the “Heart & Seoul” with sushi rice, ahi tuna, octopus, jalapeños, onions, green onions, bean sprouts, kimchi, spicy gochujang dressing and sesame seeds.
A "regular" sized bowl with three proteins goes for $10.95 and a large bowl (five proteins), $13.95.
The menu also includes sides like miso soup, sushi rolls and mac and cheese.
Explore the whole menu here. pokéLOVE is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily in suite 9 at the 855 El Camino Real shopping center.
