In 2014, four friends returned to Singapore from a holiday in Hawaii. Struck with Hawaii-withdrawal, these individuals set out to recreate their favourite Hawaiian dish. With a stroke of genius, a little experimenting and a sprinkle of love – voilà! – Aloha Poké was born.
Aloha Poké’s flagship outlet is nestled in the heart of Tanjong Pagar, along Amoy Street. This cosy but buzzing little eatery serves a number of Hawaii-inspired dishes. Its most popular dish by far, however, is its poke bowl. Poke, a popular raw fish salad served as an appetiser in Hawaii, has since become hugely popular amongst Singapore’s working crowd, and any person who frequents CBD would by now be familiar with Aloha Poké’s signature wooden bowls of raw fish goodness.
But, the poke bowl is not the only thing Aloha Poké has been up to.
Recently, Aloha Poké’s Amoy Street branch transformed into a pumping Tiki Bar, serving delicious Tiki Treats and tropical cocktails to die for. Each charming cocktail has been painstakingly created to transport you to the Pineapple State, but my favourite is White Crest, not least because of the inspiration behind this creation.
The delicious White Crest and shots of Hawaii Five-O.
White Crest is an artful mixture of three different types of rum, orgeat syrup, and topped with lip-smacking coconut meringue. As I sipped on this charming cocktail, John Chen, one of the Aloha Poké founders, asked me to imagine this backdrop: I am on a beach in Hawaii, land of surf and sunshine; in the distance I see a wave forming, pick up my surfboard and paddle out to sea, lying in wait for the wave. Slowly but surely, it picks up speed and soon, the white crest forms, beckoning me and only me. I ready my surfboard, and in one fell swoop, I take on my very own white-crested wave.
Needless to say, I was pretty impressed by the thought that John and his team have put into the curation of both their food and drinks menu.
So, stopping by before a night of partying? Or simply looking for a stronger drink? Eschew the boring tequila shots for shots of Hawaii Five-O, and take on the deceiving Scorpion Bowl with some friends. Why have yet another long island iced tea when you can have the delicious Big Island Iced Tea?
With the crowds that throng to all five outlets at both lunch and dinner, and now with the introduction of Tiki Bar, it’s clear Aloha Poké is here to stay.
Aloha Poké Tiki Bar
92 Amoy Street
Singapore 069911
Tel: +65 6221 6165
Email: [email protected]
