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Disclaimer: I am not a sushi eater. Every time that I hear the word sushi, the smell of raw fish and seaweed comes to mind, and it is unsettling. When I chose to review The Poké Company, I was giving sushi one last chance. Before I even stepped foot into the restaurant, I already had doubts and concerns, but to my surprise it was unlike what I thought. I was surprised that The Poké Company challenged my preconceived notions about a sushi restaurant and the typical stereotypes of smells, sights and tastes. 

The Poké Company is new to the Des Moines area, and even the Midwest. The owner, Stewart Essex, wanted to open up a new location in his home state. The other two Poké Company locations are in Florida. 

The building is located in downtown Des Moines, off of SW Third Sreet. and W. Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway, right across the street from Principal Park. The Poké Company’s neon sign is bright enough to catch any driver’s attention on the road. When entering the parking lot, I received a parking pass that I had to get stamped inside The Poké Company for free parking. Once I parked, I walked inside and went up the sizable staircase to the second floor where The Poké Company is located.

The faint smell of fish and fresh vegetables filled my nose. It was a more moderate fish smell than any other sushi restaurant I have ever been in. The quaint restaurant was filled with modern teal chairs, tables and hightops. The walls were a contemporary brick pattern, and there were grand windows looking out onto the street and the downtown buildings. 

I turned to my left and immediately tensed up when I saw the vast array of fish, rice, vegetables, toppings and sauces. This was my first time being up close and personal with the ingredients of sushi, and it was all right there in front of me. I was greeted immediately by a joyous worker who made me feel comfortable and was eager to help. He could see how nervous I was and asked me if I had any questions. He walked me through each step on how to make a poké bowl or poké burrito, which are “made-to-order.” I chose the poké bowl because it was the most popular item on the menu.

The big-screen menu on the back wall showed the sizes, steps and ingredients available. The steps of a poké bowl are picking the base, protein, mix-ins, sauces and toppings. Since I didn’t know what many of the mix-ins and sauces were, I asked the worker many questions about the texture and tastes of each item. He was diligent when describing each of them and allowed me to taste test many of the sauces.

I had finally gained enough knowledge of each ingredient, which made me confident enough to order. I started with white rice as the base of the bowl and then added chicken. He added both of the items into my bowl and then grabbed a separate mixing bowl which he filled with my other ingredients. I added chopped cucumber and edamame, which are young soybeans that are green and have a fresh vegetable taste, then got sesame shoyu, which they mixed in the new bowl. The sesame shoyu was a garlic flavor mixed with soy sauce that added a little bit of heat to the poké bowl. They then placed it inside of my original bowl, and I finished it off with a drizzle of spicy mayo and chopped pineapple.

At the cash register, the brilliant colors of the boba tea drinks (a combination of milk, tea, and tapioca pearls) caught my eye. I was able to taste test each flavor of the drink for free. I tried honeydew, coconut, thai tea and taro. Each one had a sweet and distinctive taste to them. I opted to buy a soda instead of a boba drink, and I filled my cup with lemon berry soda, which was to die for. It was lightly carbonated with a strong and fresh lemon taste with a hint of a sweet berry. It reminded me of a summer refreshment. I finally sat down and observed the vibrant colors of my freshly made poké bowl. The faint aroma of soy sauce came from my bowl. It was a meal worth publishing on my Instagram story. 

I dug in and had the punch of warm rice and cold ingredients fill my mouth. The cold chicken was the biggest surprise. It was my least favorite part of the dish due to the unfamiliarity of the temperature difference. As I ate more and more of the bowl each individual flavor of the ingredients stood out with each bite. With having no fish in my bowl, there was no fish taste, which is commonly found in chicken dishes at other sushi restaurants. I ate the bowl in under a couple of minutes because each bite made me want to discover a new ingredient.

In total, I paid $10 for a regular size bowl with no extra-cost ingredients, a soda cup and an 18% tip. It was very reasonably priced. The entire bowl filled me up for dinner and did not leave me hungry after. Also, the staff was absolutely wonderful handling me with my confusion and anxiety while ordering. I would give The Poké Company a 4.5 out of 5 stars. This is a wonderful place to grab a bite with a friend and it is an open environment full of happiness and good vibes. It also is inclusive of many different tastes and preferences of people eating there. Even if you don’t like sushi like me, it’s a great place to try. And if you do like sushi, there’s plenty of options to create your own delicious poké bowl.