Poke U Brings Healthy Hawaiian Flavors to the CBD, on the Cheap

Poke U?... Don't mind if I do!

This new Guanghua Lu restaurant’s goofy name sharply contrasts with its serious mission: to win over nearby office workers with tasty, healthy, and affordable food. Should you suspect that the 'healthy' angle is just a ploy to win over hearts and minds, Poke U helpfully lists calorific and other nutritional info alongside the names of its Hawaiian-style bowls.

Highlights of those mouthwatering options include the marinated salmon avocado (RMB 42), torched salmon and sirloin steak (RMB 58), chicken piccata (RMB 36), and Hawaiian tofu (an even cheaper RMB 32).

Be sure to try the fresh, tender marinated salmon avocado bowl. Packed with bean rice, springy seaweed, and crisp veggies, it is both filling and packed with flavor. We could have easily eaten double the serving of salmon but at RMB 42 the bowl is hard to fault on a whole.

Overall, Poke U threads the tricky needle between price, quality, and portion size. With its unpretentious, low-key vibe (including white painted and woodgrain walls, blue hardback chairs, and a cutesy whale neon logo), it shouldn't have any trouble attracting white-collar CBD workers during their lunch break, attracting those craving something more energizing than the usual carby, coma-inducing fast food alternatives that come in at the same price bracket.

Poke U is just the beginning: here are Beijing's best salad bowls.

Poke U 
Daily 11.30am-2pm, 5pm-8pm. North Gate, Hanwei Building, 7 Guanghua Lu (30 meters west of the entrance to the northwest gate) (186 1255 4624)
光华路7号汉威大厦北门金色地球仪向西30米西北门入口处

Photos: Kyle Mullin