Poke: The star of the bowl

Poke, which means “to slice or cut,” is a Hawaiian staple where raw pieces of tuna or other fish, like salmon, are cubed and marinated in soy sauce and sesame oil. Poke is typically dressed with creamy mayonnaise and can be garnished with kimchi, wasabi and sesame seeds, stemming from strong Asian influences.

The easily customizable dish is ubiquitous in Hawaii, often served with rice. On the mainland, it’s taken hold as a healthy and protein-packed bowl lunch, and even as an elevated fine-dining dish, with poke served alongside or atop rice or greens, with a variety of vegetables.

Market research firm Datassential reports that poke is found on 4.3% of U.S. menus, up 24% over the past four years.

Click through the gallery to learn more about this Flavor of the Week and see how one chain is using the ingredient on its menu.