Jaclyn’s Pick

Akarui
1190 Capitol Ave Ste 120 (Capitol District)
Fare: Japanese
Cost: $60 for three appetizers, one sushi roll and two meals
Reservations: Plenty of seating, not needed

Greetings, Eaters and Readers!

I broke our own (arbitrary) rules. Instead of picking somewhere new to the both of us, I desparately wanted Martha to try my favorite poke place.

Like Martha, I was once hesitant to try poke bowls. I incorrectly assumed all bowls were raw fish only. And while yes, traditional poke bowls are served with raw fish, many restaurants offer cooked protein options.

Once she knew that, she was on board.

If you don’t know what a poke bowl is, the best way I can describe it is deconstructed sushi. So if you love sushi, you’ll be into poke.

I first tried Akarui a few years ago with a friend who insisted I try it. And I’ve been begging people to meet me there any chance I get ever since.

Crab Rangoon ($4.99)

How many times have we talked about our love for crab rangoons? A lot. We’ve talked about them a lot. There’s truly nothing different to say about them here. We enjoyed these ‘roons – and if a menu has them, we get them. End of story.

Chashu Buns ($10.99) – 3pc steamed bun, slice pork chashu and iceberg lettuce inside with spicy mayo and house bun sauce

I’m obsessed with these chashu buns. My only other experience of this type of pork bun has been at Ika San Ramen inside the Westroads Mall. I loved them there and I definitely loved them here. The pillowy soft buns are the perfect complement to the ultra-tender pork and contrast to the crunchy lettuce. Mixed with the spicy mayo and voila – the perfect little handheld.

Martha really enjoyed these and has declared she must get them on all future visits to Akarui.

Gyoza ($6.99) – Pan-fried pork dumplings

Martha really enjoyed Akarui’s gyoza. While they are your standard pork dumpling, she loved how perfectly crisp the bottoms were. It might seem like a given, but sometimes restaurants hardly fry the bottoms of the dumplings – or they overdo it. These scrumptious little mouthfuls were perfectly scorched and crispy.

Honey Chicken Roll ($8)

At the last minute, Martha saw the honey chicken roll and added it to our appetizer order. A big fan of the words “honey” and “chicken” – and especially paired together, Martha wondered how it would do in a ‘sushi’ roll presentation. The chicken was covered in light-as-air tempura and your standard rice and seaweed wrapping. Martha doesn’t see herself ordering it again, but it was a fun, flavorful item to try.

Make Your Own Poke Bowl ($10.99 for single protein) – Sushi rice, kani (crab stick), avocado, mango, seaweed salad, spicy mayo, eel sauce, crispy wonton, tempura flakes

Akarui offers both special and Make Your Own Poke bowl options. I’ve not tried any of the special bowls, but I’ve had several variations of my own concoction.

Things I always get: Sushi rice, kani (crab stick), eel sauce and crispy wontons.

Toppings I’ve tried: Avocado, pineapple, mango, cucumber, sweet corn, seaweed salad, sweet chili sauce, spicy mayo, tempura flakes, sesame seeds and crispy onion.

Any and all variations of these are just absolutely fantastic. The warm rice mixed with cold toppings. The crunchy things in with the soft. Sweet. Savory. (Slightly) spicy. It has it all – and I crave it on a pretty regular basis.

The new-to-me ingredient I tried this go-round was the seaweed salad. The name alone kept me away until my brother had me try it. Little did I know it’d become my new favorite addition. Seaweed salad, if you’re unfamiliar, is typically made of rehydrated seaweed in a mixture of sesame oil, rice vinegar, salt and a bit of sugar. A delightful add to your poke bowl!

Make Your Own Poke Bowl ($12.49 for double protein) – Sushi rice, chicken, spicy kani, edamame, carrots, sweet corn, eel sauce, spicy mayo, sesame seeds, crispy wonton

Once I finally helped Martha understand – and trust – that not all poke had to be of the raw fish variety, she was pretty eager to find a bowl that called to her. Landing on the Make Your Own Poke bowl section of the menu, Martha listened to me work through my own DIY bowl and then rattled off her order to the server.

Ordering things she was familiar with, she really loved the flavor and experience of her first poke bowl. The menu suggests how many add-ins or sauces one should add and the only thing Martha anticipates changing on her next visit is adding extra sauce so that the bites at the bottom of the bowl have that added moisture and flavor.

She also wants to give non-poke experienced eaters a heads up: poke is traditionally served cold. Since it’s usually raw fish, that makes sense. But seeing chicken and rice in her bowl, she momentarily forgot and was surprised (not in a bad way) that her first forkful was cold. The rice adds some warmth, though. So give it a good stir and enjoy!

Final Bites

I was both pleased and relieved that Martha truly loved her first poke experience as much as I had. This means we can now try and review other poke spots for you! (Ok, mostly for us.)

Everything about this meal was astounding. So much so, we decided we ought to go back and try more of the menu. So we did … which means you’ll have to come back for part two!

Cheers!
The Good Bite Gals

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