The wave mural by artist Aaron Kai.
The poke “trend,” a tidal wave of fast-casual shops that earnestly washed ashore a couple of years back—both nationally and all over Seattle—has certainly slowed but surges on. One of the first homegrown poke places to grace Seattle was 45th Stop N Shop in Wallingford. And despite the, perhaps, over saturation of poke, 45th continues to draw lines through its minimart-slash-poke-deli.
“It’s definitely a little scary. There’s a lot of good poke restaurants, but it seems like a lot of customers really loved [us],” says John Chung, who runs the poke spot with his family. “They always came back.”
Now folks can queue up at the newly expanded location of 45th Stop N Shop Poke Bar at 2121 Terry Avenue in South Lake Union (next to the Pan Pacific Hotel and Whole Foods). It quietly, softly opened this week.
Chung says it’s double the size of original (which only has a handful of places to sit). It clocks in at about 37 seats with plans to bump that number up to 40, maybe 50. But really, Chung says, this is likewise a grab-and-go shop for busy South Lake Union lunchgoers: “Don’t fix what isn’t broken.” So the menu remains much the same, except no poke burritos here but there is a new kimchi edamame. Also new here: booze! At the minimart one could purchase their alcoholic pairing and drink it elsewhere. At the new spot, there will soon be beer, wine, and sake. Plus, there’s already four taps of Brew Dr. Kombucha from Portland.
Hours are daily 11am to 8pm.
|
|
|