San Diego, CA (The Joy of Food) — 8th and B Poke is a tidy storefront in that part of National City where old meets new, a shiny up-and-coming area sprinkled like pixie dust through Victorian houses and quaint storefronts that have been there forever. Once upon a time you might come here to eat hand-crafted ice cream or prime rib au jus; now it is a place to find Indo-Dutch fusion while knocking back locally crafted Brazilian beer.
In the great tradition of places named after cross streets, 8th and B Poke isn’t the easiest spot to find. You’ll want to look for a tiny street-level storefront in a long block of glossy shops nestled in a building that looks more corporate than residential or dining. The inside is modern and trendy and accommodates about two people in line and a few diners along the wall, where there are six stools and a countertop made up of bark. It’s a nice touch that adds some warmth to an otherwise stark space.
This was a long-awaited concept with a built-in fan-following from the start. Anyone who has been to Zarlitos Family Restaurant nearby will recognize this poke, served previously at the Filipino restaurant with a penchant for Hawaiian specialties.
At 8th and B Poke, the bowls are immaculate, sides of perfect rice flanking scoops of seaweed salad, imitation crab, minced spicy ahi, and your choice of fish that’s well cut and (I assume) fresh and high-quality, though it’s hard to tell. Pieces are generally firm and springy without being gummy or stringy. But, it seems the focus is more on the sauce than the fish, to the point where the first overpowers the second. I still haven’t seen a plate, usually a medium with two scoops of fish, where the actual stuff – the fish – isn’t sitting in some sort of small flood. Seafood is meant to swim, but not like this.
For the most part, what you think about 8th and B Poke is going to depend on what you think about sweet, what you think about savory, and what you think about those things combined with fish. The shoyu is quite thick, more like a glaze and less like a dressing, and oddly sweet and gloppy, and it thoroughly coats the fish, either ahi or salmon, which sits in a pool of the same stuff. The miso salmon glaze is along the same lines, overly sweet and overpowering. The spicy mayo is more of the same consistency, though decidedly more mild in flavor.
About the ever-evolving menu, Generation Z expects you to be on Instagram and to use it, where that day’s specials and other news are posted. In person, the split-flap menu is the most confusing thing I have ever seen, a shiny black board with white text on top, an accessibility nightmare with no contrast that renders it basically useless. There will usually be a girl perched at the front counter, phone firmly glued in hand and looking down. If you ask for help or advice, she points to the aforementioned riddle on the wall, or to a hand-scribbled tablet on the counter where the salmon choices are listed. Chris, the owner, has been nothing but warm and friendly each time I’ve left.
All the social media will tell you that this place is the holy grail of poke and for the area, that’s certainly the case. I’ll sum it up like this: if you can get to Hawaiian Fresh Seafood, that’s the gold standard for real-deal poke in San Diego; if a drive to Mira Mesa isn’t in the cards, this is a new locally owned business that’s worth your time (and money) to try, and it might even become a favorite if you like sweeter flavors. Open until sold out and closed Tuesdays, check Instagram for details.
Written by Joy
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Nice find. I’m interested in the tempura shrimp. How’s the parking?
Parking has never been a problem for me give or take a block, but I go during lunchtime on week days and never on a weekend. They were smart to set up shop here and not in the nearby market – rent has got to be lower this way. And though I’ve not had it myself I’ve heard good things about the shrimp tempura!
Been here 3 times and immediately noticed the Zarlitos link based on the mashed fish. Didn’t care for the shrimp tempura though as I noticed it was air fried. The poke tends to be on the sweeter side just like Zarlitos as well. Great post; I’ll make sure to link!
For sure on the sweeter side which isn’t my preferred flavor profile unfortunately and there’s always a ton of the sauce so the fish takes a back seat. Thanks for the heads up about the shrimp tempura, they try to upsell every time but I’ve never gotten it. And thanks also for the link, I’ll look out for a future post and link back!
Great review and I agree. Yeah the menu board is confusing and luckily i was familiar with it before I went there. It’s better than the Poke 1.5 type spots but not as good as HFS. I couldn’t point my finger on the shrimp tempura but yeah it’s definitely air fried. It was decent.
Funny, I just reviewed this place on my new Food Blog and Kirk is about to post on it. Great minds do think alike!
Indeed the menu is confusing and what’s worse are the abbreviations, I’ve felt awkward staring at it (and at the scribbled thing with the salmon choices) while the girl at the front just browses Instagram on her phone. All that said, it’s nice to have another poke option in the area — not as good as HFS but definitely better than Poke Etc. down the street. Thanks also for the note about your post/blog, I’ve linked over to both!