SAVOUR A SUPER BOWL

Burleigh locals are about to be bowled over as a fresh flavour fad moves in this week, writes Amber Macpherson

POKE power is rising on the Gold Coast.

In the world of Instagrammable food, poke bowls are up there with acai and loaded milkshakes — they’re colourful, creative and, in a total bonus, healthy.

Finn Poke, a poke bowl business originally from Byron Bay, began expanding north of the border this year with a second opening at Pacific Fair.

As a third Finn Poke prepares to open this week in Burleigh Heads, owners and siblings Jem and Joelle Jacinto are excited to be “spreading the poke love”.

“The Gold Coast is a perfect place for poke — the beach community, along the Coast, the food is fresh,” Jem says.

“There’s an abundance of great ingredients we source around the region.

“Australians are very fitness conscious, and that’s definitely the case in this region.

“All our food is a healthier choice, we don’t use much oil, nothing’s fried, no dairy products.”

The brother and sister duo are originally from the US, close to the historical roots of poke bowls — Hawaii.

Jem says fishermen invented the poke bowl decades ago as a quick snack to eat on the go, cutting up freshly caught fish sashimi-style and dipping it in soy sauce.

Today, you can grab a poke bowl almost anywhere in Hawaii and the US, from service stations to street vendors.

The appeal lies is its versatility and option to buildyour-own bowl — you can choose a rice or vegetable base, top it up with raw fish or cooked meat, and add avocado, chilli, fruit or sauce.

Jem says, while it’s a quick meal to construct, it’s definitely not traditional fast food.

“It’s fresh, raw and healthy,” Jem says.

“We have a lot of vegan options. There are thousands of combinations you could do if you build your own bowl — we have organic tofu, roasted beef, slow-cooked chicken breast.

“The fish is spectacular. We get swordfish and tuna line caught, all sustainable, just north of the Sunshine Coast.

“We get it direct from the boats. We really have a good grasp on the quality of our fish. I would say our fish is comparable to top sashimi restaurants.”

While the poke bowl can be tailor-made to taste, Finn Poke offers a set list of popular chefcrafted combinations.

“The difference between us and your run-of-the-mill poke joint is that we’re chef-driven,” Jem says.

“We balance the ingredients with the right amount of crunch, the right amount of sauce, the right amount of salt.

“We have all the flavour profiles so each bowl comes out and it’s perfectly balanced.

“It’s a good vibe on the tastebuds. We craft each bowl — it’s customer-curated, chefcrafted.

“One of the most popular is the big katuna — fresh line caught chunks of tuna, seaweed salad, roasted nori, crispy onion with our classic shoyu sauce.

“The swordfish has also become surprisingly popular.”

And if you’re wondering, Jem says he and his sister are yet to poke each other’s eyes out since opening a business together.

“My sister and I have very different personalities — we’re yin and yang, we counter balance each other,” Jem says.

“You’re always going to have these arguments here and there, but so far, knock on wood, it’s been great. She’s really an integral part of the organisation, so’s my mum.”

Finn Poke Burleigh, 31 James Street

“THERE’S AN ABUNDANCE OF GREAT INGREDIENTS WE SOURCE AROUND THE REGION.”