Inside Southeast Hawthorne’s Poke Mon
Clockwise from the left: Spicy Ahi Donburi, Garlic Salmon, Kimchi Tako, Hawaiian Ahi, Spicy Yuzu Albacore, Tofu and Kale. In the middle: House Mac Salad, Spicy Cucumber Salad, Choi's Kimchi.
Image: Jannie Huang
The poke bowl trend rocketing through LA and New York—and now, Portland—is a new phenomenon to Colin Yoshimoto. “In Hawaii, you go to the grocery store, buy it by the pound, take it to the beach, and drink some beer,” explains the Hawaiian native, Poke Mon chef, and cook-about-town. The stateside version, complete with rice, seaweed, and other accoutrement, is hitting Portland in a big way, with the just-opened Poke Mon at 1485 SE Hawthorne Blvd as the city's first stand-alone poke restaurant.
Image: Jannie Huang
Poke Mon (just wait until Nintendo hears about this) is owned by “a bunch of skateboarders,” Brent Atchley, Nicholas Hyde, Mike Chin, and helmed by Yoshimoto, who played right-hand man at some of Portland’s best eateries, from Nodoguro to Nong’s Khao Man Gai.
Six bowls range from the classic Hawaiian Ahi to the Kimchi Tako, brimming with steamed octopus and local Choi’s Kimchi. A tofu bowl, starring Portland-based Ota Tofu brings together Shitake mushrooms and kale for a vegan equivalent. Poke lovers can mix and match their own bowls, choosing rice, seafood, add-ons (like toasted kukui nut), and sauces, roasted garlic ponzu to Jalapeno-infused spicy yuzu. A few snacks round out the menu, like a requisite mac salad and miso soup, but poke is the main event.
Yoshimoto says hours are Tues-Sun, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. while they get their bearings, but will expand to seven days a week, 11 a.m.–9 p.m. by the end of the month.
Poke Mon
1485 SE Hawthorne Blvd
503-894-9743
