Restaurant Review

Hawaii in the Heart of Westport

By: Mia

I’ve always found Hawaiian food to be a secret underdog in the world of flavor. One food that’s always stuck out to me is poke, which is generally a sushi-grade sashimi, white rice, and all different types of delicious toppings. Westport, Connecticut, isn’t exactly very close to Hawaii, nor does New England have much Hawaiian representation, so it’s hard to find traditional poke. Pokeworks, a chain introduced to the US mainlands in 2015, was created to solve this problem. 

I’ve been a fan of their food for a few months now, but I haven’t gotten the chance to really indulge in the meal, as it’s more of a “on-the-go” restaurant. Once I opened the door, my nose was wafted with the smell of fresh ingredients. The ordering is done in a “conveyor belt” style, picking rice, protein, toppings, sauce, and garnishes. Everything is kept separately, in organized containers, so that the diner can see exactly what they’re asking for. 

They have an array of Hawaiian and Japanese drinks, along with ​​coco mango haupia (a pudding dessert) and appetizers like miso soup or surimi salad. My total after getting a regular bowl with a Japanese soda was $21.95, as I get avocado which is an extra charge of $1.50. It’s a little bit on the expensive side, but I think it’s expected especially when the cuisine isn’t local to the area. I went with my friend, and while there were places to sit inside, we drove to the beach and ate there. She got a poke burrito, which is basically just a very wide sushi roll, but still delicious. 

Pokeworks is located in the Trader Joe’s plaza along post road in the center of Westport, so it’s only a 5 minute drive from Compo Beach, leaving our food to stay at the perfect temperature. We parked, and dug in. I like to eat my poke bowls fully mixed, so that I really get a bite of everything and experience the full flavor palette. I have definitely become accustomed to Pokeworks. I go there all the time, and their food always hits the spot. My meal was so flavorful and refreshing, but filling and light. The avocado was soft but still fresh, no browning either, which is always quite the win. The rice is warm, as it’s kept in the rice cooker with the top on, but everything else is cold, including the protein. I get spicy tuna and spicy salmon, which both have a spicy mayo coating. The fish is perfectly tender, and seemingly freshly prepared. All of the toppings I tend to get are light veggies/fruits, such as edamame or pineapple. I finish it off with seaweed salad, which has this savory and almost “fishy” taste, with a pasta-like texture. So many textures and flavors go into this meal, so it truly is up to the diner to decide whether or not they like what they eat. I can say with my whole heart that they serve fresh, authentic food, representing the Hawaiian community in Connecticut, which is especially important when it can be hard for native Hawaiians to establish community on the Islands, forcing them to move to the mainlands. I deeply enjoyed this meal and experience overall, and I will most definitely be returning.