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Avid traveler (and Met Market founder) Terry Halverson returned from one of his many Hawaiian trips with more than a suntan and some sand in his shoes. He also had the inspiration to bring the Islands’ most beloved seafood salads, known as “poke” (pronounced poh-kay), to his savvy Seattle customers.
The word itself translates from Hawaiian as “to cut” or “to slice,” more a concept than a recipe. The most classic versions thrive on their simplicity—like say, pristine, perfectly-cubed Ahi tuna mixed with sesame seeds, dashes of sesame oil, and a splash of soy sauce to bring out the inherent clean flavor and beautiful texture of the fish.
Today, each Metropolitan Market has a dedicated poke chef who carefully prepares the items for that store’s bar, hand-cutting whole loins of tuna or fillets of salmon to add to the day’s menu. The fillets are always of the highest quality, sourced from a fishery that not only engages in sustainable fishing practices but also tracks when and where each fish is caught.
Like a salad bar, it’s a fully-customizable experience. Make a meal-sized bowl of poke atop sushi rice with kimchi, edamame, and tofu as accents, or scoop an afternoon snack portion of addictive spicy Albacore poke. Other popular favorites include the Ahi (or Albacore) onion poke and shrimp and mango salad, which are regularly rotated in alongside whatever the chef feels is freshest that day (California roll salmon poke, anyone?). Plus, if you’re counting carbs or on the hunt for a flavorful high-protein meal, the poke bar has you covered—without flying all the way across the Pacific.
We think it’s important to commit to environmental responsibility, which is why we work with a supplier that’s dedicated to sustainable practices; we can trace each individual fish back to when and where it was caught.
Expertly hand-cutting whole fillets of salmon or loins of tuna, dedicated poke chefs slice and prep each day’s offerings right in store.
Only fresh Hawaiian ogo, or seaweed, makes it to our poke bar. While hard to come by, it’s definitely worth it. It adds that perfect crunchy, briny taste to the seafood salad while paying tribute to this dish’s Hawaiian roots.
This is just a taste of what you might find in store. Daily selections vary—stop in and try something new.
Ahi Onion
One of our most closely traditional Poke recipes, enjoy rich Ahi Tuna with sweet onion, a splash of soy sauce, Ogo seaweed, and toasted sesame seeds.
Shrimp and Mango Salad
Savory shrimp and sweet mango make the perfect pairing in this seafood salad, finished with cilantro, lemon, and spicy jalapeños.
Garlic Shrimp Salad
This irresistible shrimp salad is packed with garlic, onion, spicy red chili, and topped with a sprinkling of Hawaiian sea salt and toasted sesame seeds.
Creamy Sriracha Salmon
It’s the PNW after all, so good salmon is a must on our poke bar. This one is covered in an irresistible sweet-yet-spicy sauce.
Spicy Ahi Poke
This is one of our best sellers for a reason! Turn up the heat with a scoop of this albacore favorite.
Chuka Ika
Feeling adventurous? Try our perfectly seasoned and fully cooked squid salad with your poke.
Fresh Poke has Come to Town
“Each store has a designated chef with his or her own space and tools. The bars now generally have three raw seafood salads and three cooked ones, plus condiments and sides…”
Where to Try Poke in Seattle
“The Magnolia Met Market was the trendsetter for grocery-store poke in Seattle. Now you can find the market’s signature poke mixtures at [all] locations, with a build-your-own bar…”
