Hawaiian Cuisine Brings Summer’s Warmth to the Winter Months
It’s January, and that means we’re all recovering from the onslaught of holiday dinner parties. Now, it’s time to focus on those pesky new year’s resolutions, right? But those of us in Lodi need not worry—Loco Poke has all healthy options you need, with flavors bound to evoke visions of the beach.
After all, for Jenny and Paul Polhemus, the beach was where it all began.
The Lodi natives were down on Hermosa Beach to watch their daughter compete in beach volleyball when the idea struck. “At the Beach Volleyball Nationals, all the athletes were eating poke because it was both healthy and filling,” recalls Jenny. “My husband Paul kept saying to me, ‘Lodi would love this, Lodi would love this!’”
And he was right—since Loco Poke opened, Lodi has taken to the poke bowl like a fish to, well, a poke bowl! The younger generations are especially taking advantage of a quick, nutritious option for lunch. “We wanted to be by the high school so that kids could have easy access to healthy food options,” explains Jenny.
But more than offering the youth of Lodi a nutritious lunch, Loco Poke is also a loving tribute to Jenny’s late sister Lisa. “My sister passed away seven years ago,” says Jenny. “She was a part of our roller derby team, and her moniker was ‘Loco Lisa’—so as we talked about names, we were coming up with ‘crazy fish’, and then it clicked, and we were like, ‘Loco!’”
Lisa also loved Hawaii, the origin place of the poke bowl, so it only made sense that Jenny and Paul share her same spirit of love with Lodi.
“Poke means ‘cut up fish’,” Jenny explains. “And a poke bowl is essentially a deconstructed sushi roll, but you get a lot more of it. And that’s what makes it fun: it’s unlimited combinations!”
While choices abound at Loco Poke, Jenny says the most popular protein option is the Ahi Tuna, with the spicy Loco Sauce. Pair that with some crunchy kelp noodles, white rice, and whatever other toppings you like, and you’ve got yourself a nutritious, delicious lunch!
“We have teriyaki chicken bowls for the winter months, too,” Jenny adds. Loco Poke also offers warm appetizers like gyoza, and a homemade ramen fit to melt the winter chill. Stop in for a bite—if New Year’s resolutions can’t keep you going through the winter months, a taste of summer will!
Get a Taste:
Loco Poke
1012 W. Lodi Ave. #1, Lodi
(209) 625-8739
LocoPokeLodi.com