Chef-driven menu, sustainable fish, and organic produce.

Joining a growing number of Seattle area poké establishments, Wanderfish Poké opened Monday, with a slightly different point of view. Located in Capitol Hill, across from Seattle Central College, offers an expanded, modern take on the classic Hawaiian raw fish over rice dish including: extensive options to customize, the use of sustainable and wild caught fish, locally grown produce and scratch-made ingredients.  

Wanderfish is a “fast causal” spot where you pick the base (choose from bamboo rice, kelp noodles, and a citrus kale salad), the type of fish, sauce, and toppings. You can order from the “Chef’s Creations” menu, seasonally rotating bowls like the “Karma Bowl”with a choice of protein, chili sesame oil, fish sauce, diced orange, pomegranate seeds, shiso leaves, ogo seaweed and the “Harvest Bowl”, a choice of protein, sesame oil, tamari, birdseed chili, Granny Smith apples, mint leaves, toasted pine nuts, garlic, ginger. Also available will be a poké burrito (using nori) and poké nachos with tuna, sweet chili sauce, pico de gallo, avocado, and served with taro chips.

You can also BYOB (build-your-own-bowl): start by selecting a base: shiso kelp noodles, bamboo rice, white rice, citrus kale salad. Then pick a protein: ahi tuna, salmon, albacore, scallops and tofu. Next, enhance your bowl making choices from 23 mix-in’s; from avocado to crispy lotus root to enoki mushrooms. Lastly, the bowls are finished with sauce: traditional poké, umami shoyu, citrus ponzu, aioli, wasabi cream Sriracha aioli, sweet chili soy.

The gluten-free menu (both aioli sauces are also soy-free) is shaped by advising chef Brian O’Connor in collaboration with head chef Jason Velasquez. O’Connor and Velasquez have carefully sourced the farms they’ll be using, including Willowood Farm on Whidbey Island, that will supply kale year-round, along with other seasonal produce. 

With fish and seafood at the centerpiece of their menu, the chefs will be using Alaskan sockeye salmon, albacore tuna from Lummi Island, scallops from Oregon and sustainable yellowfin tuna caught in Hawaii. The chefs will be breaking down whole salmon and large tuna sections daily. They are committed to assuring high quality, sustainable sources and recognize that having a seasoned chef at the helm on a daily basis makes a big difference to even a casual restaurant. Says Velasquez: “We’re all about transparency and letting our guests see and participate in their own dining process. It’s important that they know that we share their dedication for wholesome, healthy ingredients.”

Open daily 11:00 am to 9:00 pm.

Photos by Jennifer Liu.

Wanderfish Poké        |       1620 Broadway, Seattle        |      info@wanderfishpoke.com