Eat with Sharon

Poke has finally arrived in Edmonton! Splash Poke is the first poke shop in YEG and recently opened its doors in downtown, on 109th street. Short review – bright and inviting atmosphere – quick, filling, fresh and delicious food – and most definitely, worth a try.

If you haven’t heard of poke before, it originates from Hawaii and it is essentially a raw fish salad. If you’re like me… not a big fish fan and a poke virgin (until recently), I still encourage you to take the leap and give poke AND Splash Poke a try!

This review was completed after I came here on two occasions – I had the opportunity to preview the menu during a blogger/media event and I came again with a friend later on in the week. Both times, I left full and satisfied. And to be honest, I was surprised that I enjoyed it because, as I’ve mentioned, I rarely like fish, much less raw fish..

When you first step in, the space is bright, inviting and summer-y with hints of coral and turquoise in all of their decor. The place is set up for quick eats, where you place you order first, pay and go .. well, wherever – you can dine in or take it to go.

However, there is limited seating with only a few tables available so there may not always be an option to dine in if all the seats are taken.

There is basically two ways you can order your bowl – you can build your own bowl or you can order from the “Splash Favourites”. Both times that I visited, I opted for an option from the splash favourites.

The bowls come with your choice of white or brown rice, salad or vermicelli. They also offer the option of having half of one base and half of another – a great alternative. If you are building your own bowl, then of course you also pick your protein(s), sauces, mix-ins and toppings. With the Splash favourites, the bowls are already created so you don’t need to do much deciding.

The pricing goes by how many protein scoops you have in your bowl. With the proteins being mostly seafood, the prices are fairly reasonable -ranging from $9.95 – $15.95.

What adds to the inviting atmosphere of this place is the open pane glass which offers you the opportunity to see your bowl being made by staff.

So, onto the food.. after both visits, I’ve been able to try The Classic, The Spicy and The Tropical (all 2 scoops of protein – $13.95) Below is my scoop on all 3 bowls.

The Classic – This bowl comes with tuna and salmon and an abundance of toppings and mixings. If you’re opting for a bit of everything, I think this would be the bowl for you. It comes with a Shoyu sauce so it’s a more on the salty side. My favourite part alongside the tuna was the crispy onions and garlic, which added a nice crunch amongst all the soft textures.

The Spicy – This is a great alternative if you’re not looking to eat any raw proteins. It comes with shrimps and tofu with a bit of a spicier sauce – hence, the name. There is also a variety of toppings and mix-ins which help add a hint of freshness, offsetting the spicy flavours.

The Tropical – I found this bowl to be lighter and more refreshing. It came with scallops, salmon, cucumbers, mango and pineapple among other toppings and mix-ins. The splash aioli sauce that it comes with is not as heavy and overpowering. So, if you’re looking for something on the lighter side, you might want to opt for this bowl.

Overall, all of the bowls – although quite different from one another – are great in their own ways. My only critique is that consistency can be an issue as some bowls are topped off with more toppings than usual, making it overwhelming. But, nonetheless, there is still a generous amount of mix-ins and toppings in every bowl, which I like because I don’t think I could do just rice and fish. Also, I really love that the fish is soft and tasty – coming from me, a non seafood lover, that’s noteworthy!

And .. if you feel that none of the Splash Favourites are up to par for your taste buds, then luckily there is also the build your own bowl feature. For those who don’t like seafood at all, there is also tofu or chicken. I love that they also offer the addition of avocado here since I am an avocado lover.

The staff at Splash Poke are friendly and the environment is very inviting. The service is similar to any “quick eats” place – there is little interaction after you order so there’s not much to say after-the-fact, I suppose. The owner, Angela, was a pleasure to meet during the blogger event though. Congrats to her and the rest of the Splash Poke team for a successful grand opening and first week of business.

So, if you haven’t already, give Splash Poke a try. It’s refreshing and quick to order, and with it being in the busier area of downtown, it is sure to be a popular spot – especially during the lunch hour. I’m sure I will be back in the near future, I’d love to try their mochi dessert and build my own bowl after trying the majority of the Splash favourites.

Splash Poke
10079 109 St, Edmonton