Latest Gold Coast Poke eatery set to open at Burleigh Heads

ACAI bowls were so last year. This healthy snack has become the Coast’s most instagrammable food and Gold Coasters are eating it by the bowl, with yet another specialty eatery to open.

The spicy salmon shaka bowl from Finn Poke.

POKE power is rising on the Gold Coast.

In the world of Instagrammable food, poke bowls are up there with acai and loaded milkshakes — they’re colourful, creative and, in a total bonus, healthy.

Finn Poke, a poke bowl business originally from Byron Bay, began expanding north of the border this year with a second opening at Pacific Fair.

As a third Finn Poke prepares to open this week in Burleigh Heads, owners and siblings Gem and Joelle Jacinto are excited to be “spreading the poke love”.

The spicy salmon shaka bowl from Finn Poke.

“The Gold Coast is a perfect place for poke — the beach community, along the Coast, the food is fresh,” Gem says.

“There’s an abundance of great ingredients that we source around the region.

“Australians are very fitness conscious, and that’s definitely the case in this region.

“All our food is a healthier choice, we don’t use much oil, nothing’s fried, no dairy products.”

The brother and sister duo are originally from the US, close to the historical roots of poke bowls — Hawaii.

The big katuna bowl from Finn Poke.

Gem says fishermen invented the poke bowl decades ago as a quick snack to eat on the go, cutting up freshly caught fish sashimi-style and dipping it in soy sauce.

Today, you can grab a poke bowl almost anywhere in Hawaii and the US, from service stations to street vendors.

The appeal lies is its versatility and option to build-your-own bowl — you can choose a rice or vegetable base, top it up with raw fish or cooked meat, and add avocado, chilli, fruit or sauce.

Gem says, while it’s a quick meal to construct, it’s definitely not traditional fast food.

“It’s fresh, raw and healthy,” Gem says.

Finn Poke co-owner Gem Jacinto at the new Burleigh Heads shop set to open this month.

“We have a lot of vegan options. There are thousands of combinations you could do if you build your own bowl — we have organic tofu, roasted beef, slow-cooked chicken breast.

“The fish is spectacular. We get swordfish and tuna line caught, all sustainable, just north of the Sunshine Coast.

“We get it direct from the boats. We really have a good grasp on the quality of our fish. I would say our fish is comparable to top sashimi restaurants.”

While the poke bowl can be tailor-made to taste, Finn Poke offers a set list of popular chef-crafted combinations.

“The difference between us and your run-of-the-mill poke joint is that we’re chef-driven,” Gem says.

Dr Beets bowl from Finn Poke.

“We balance the ingredients with the right amount of crunch, the right amount of sauce, the right amount of salt.

“We have all the flavour profiles so each bowl comes out and it’s perfectly balanced.

“It’s a good vibe on the tastebuds. We craft each bowl — it’s customer-curated, chef-crafted.

“One of the most popular is the big katuna — fresh line caught chunks of tuna, seaweed salad, roasted nori, crispy onion with our classic shoyu sauce.

“The swordfish has also become surprisingly popular.”

And if you’re wondering, Gem says he and his sister are yet to poke each other’s eyes out since opening a business together.

“My sister and I have very different personalities — we’re yin and yang, we counter balance each other,” Gem says.

“You’re always going to have these arguments here and there, but so far, knock on wood, it’s been great. She’s really an integral part of the organisation, so’s my mum.”

Finn Poke Burleigh, 31 James Street