TORONTO — Pokito, a new Toronto quick-service restaurant specializing in fresh poké burritos and bowls, will be opening its doors at the corner of Queen St. and Spadina Ave. on Sep. 1. Pokito promises to bring a new twist to the classic Hawaiian-style poké with its unique, globally-inspired ingredient combinations.
Co-owners Kenton Chan and Allen Tan, the team behind Chatime, Bake Code and Me.N.U. Food Truck, have come together to create Canada’s go-to poké destination. “We’ve always had a passion for food and travel,” says Tan. “Every winter, we travel to the greatest street-food cities in the world, learn from local chefs and make a commitment to bring our culinary discoveries back to Toronto.”
“We have paired ingredients to ensure a gastronomic experience for our customers. Poké is all about balance,” adds Chan. “However, we also believe the food we eat is an expression of our individuality, so we encourage our guests to customize their bowls and burritos and make every creation their own.”
Pokito will offer customizable poké burritos and bowls with a variety of protein choices, including sashimi-grade tuna and salmon, cooked garlic shrimp, tako and organic tofu. Pokito’s signature dish, the 420 Bowl — a reference to the diner’s 420 Queen Street location — features ponzu-lime sauce, sweet onions, cucumbers and Pokito’s house specialty, Hawaiian guacamole.
In addition to the standard toppings — white sushi rice, mixed green salad, cucumber, edamame, seaweed salad and tobiko — guests can also choose from special ingredients such as lemongrass-garlic corn, Indonesian acar (picked spicy cucumber), Jicama, pineapple chow and Hawaiian guacamole.
Other menu offerings include taro chips with Hawaiian guacamole, dole whip floats and a daily selection of teas from Chatime Canada, exclusively curated for Pokito.
Each month, and for a limited time, Pokito will add one new poké creation to its menu. For the opening month of September, the eatery will feature Musubi Balls — inspired by Sicilian arancini and Hawaiian spam musibi. Pokito will also be offered on UberEATS.
