Many often think of Hawaii as a place with breathtaking views and wildlife, often forgetting the food that comes along with the culture. If you’re looking for a splash of Hawaii here in Illinois, you won’t have to venture too far. Located in Evanston and other nearby suburbs,  Aloha Poke is a small restaurant that features one traditional Hawaiian dish- poke bowls.

Firstly, if you’ve never had a poke bowl please try one. Secondly, I’ll provide a small description that doesn’t nearly encompass the epic blend of unexpected flavors and combinations found within one small bowl. My order consisted of brown rice, tofu, pineapple, cucumber, scallions, rice seasoning, avocado, tobiko, and crunch, with the signature spicy aioli dressing on top. Now, I know, in words that might not sound too appealing. As a picky eater myself, the idea of mixing pineapples and avocado did NOT sound too great. Then, I tried Aloha Poke, and my constant anxiety about trying new and different foods vanished. The blend of different flavors and the combination of sweet and sour that you can find inside a poke bowl is something special– which has led to my current and uncontrollable addiction to them.

After trying Aloha Poke two months ago, I now frequent there almost once a week. On top of being delicious, poke bowls are a healthy meal option, which doesn’t make me feel too bad about my obsession. As a vegetarian, Aloha Poke also provides an alternative way in which I can find the protein I need. For my meat lovers out there, don’t worry. You can totally add protein to your bowl in the more conventional sense with tuna, salmon, chicken, or shrimp.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but there’s nothing that I love more than being able to sit down and enjoy a meal with my friends. Sadly, due to its small space, Aloha Poke doesn’t offer any seating options, so if you’re looking for a place to sit, chat, and eat, Aloha Poke isn’t necessarily your best option. Although there is an area where you can stand and eat your food, I’m totally in favor of Aloha Poke opening up some seating area in the future. The lack of seating is one minor setback to this restaurant, but for people who want to eat quickly, or are on the go, there really isn’t a better place to find a healthy and tasty meal.

Aloha Poke has recently become one of my favorite restaurants, and when asked the question: “Where do you wanna eat?”, it’s always the first thing out of my mouth. With reasonable pricing and portions, you really can’t go wrong with a poke bowl once in a while– or, once a week in my case.