Lemonshark’s Hawaiian fare tantalizes the senses
Lemonshark Poke & Makai Grill offers an interactive component in its journey to satisfy every taste sensation.
The Hawaiian-themed restaurant, located in Easton Town Center’s newest Entertainment District, centers on a fresh experience, whether customers grill their own food or get preassembled meals from the kitchen.
“We were very passionate about rolling out something that was very healthconscious,” said Kayla King, general manager of the restaurant, the first in the United States to unify both the California-based Lemonshark Poke and Makai Grill under one roof.
Poke bowls, either signature or buildyour-own, are incredibly popular among guests, King said.
Among the most popular is the Bill Ho Golfbowl ($16), named after investor and pro golfer Billy Horschel — a hefty plate that includes crunchy brown rice and sesame seeds, sweet pineapple, savory ahi tuna, spicy tuna and salmon, and bright, citrusy ponzu sauce.
Hibachi bowls have received a warm welcome from guests, too, King said.
Hanger steak ($15), marinated with garlic and soy, is grilled, glazed with sweet soy sauce, and served with a choice of brown rice, sushi rice, mixed greens or fried rice ($1 extra).
“Hanger steak, it’s so tender, you don’t need a knife to cut through it,” she said.
Customers have their choice of grilling certain dishes tableside on a downdraft grill or having it prepared in the kitchen. There’s a seemingly endless list of skewered (or not) beef, pork, seafood and poultry. (Some of the chicken is cooked by the chefs to avoid any possible cross-contamination, King said.)
Served as either singles or doubles, they are priced between $2.65 and $6.85.
“The idea is to get a couple of them so you can try multiple things,” she said.
“It’s very protein-driven.”
Because of its Hawaiian theme, Spam naturally shows up in a few dishes, such as the maki roll ($9) and musubi bites ($6) — flash-fried spam served with sushi rice, seaweed and flecked with sesame seeds.
Spicy food is interlaced throughout the menu. One example, is the Japanese street corn ($6), which gets a brush of mayo after grilling, a dash of togarashi powder, eel sauce, tempura flakes and an additional dressing of two types of mayo — one spicy and the other mild.
“It is amazing,” King said. “Honestly, it’s one of our top sellers.”
On the non-meat side of the aisle, King has high praise for the crispy tofu ($4.25) — firm bean curd (tofu) tossed in potato starch, fried and dusted with roasted sesame seeds.
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