Torched salmon rice bowl from Big Fin Poke. Photo by Leslie Bridgers When poke bowls first came into my life, it was the multitude of topping options that excited me most. I loved that, often at no extra cost, I could customize a bowl exactly to my preferences – kind of like a salad bar but with value-added items like crab salad and crunchy garlic in place of those pedestrian croutons and carrot shreds.
But, in time, the novelty of concocting the perfect poke bowl has given way to the convenience of ordering a pre-selected combination, even if it has something like corn or pineapple that I’ll try to eat around. For a while, I’ve been eyeing the torched salmon special at fast-casual mini chain Big Fin Poke, but its simplicity kept me from ordering it. Aside from the main event – mayo-slathered salmon topped with shoyu sauce and togarashi – the rice bowl consists of green onion, avocado, cucumber and pickled ginger.
Was it even worth getting a poke bowl without maxing out the mix-ins? Was it worth denying myself the mound of seaweed salad or the pop of masago until my next visit? I couldn’t quite get myself there until, like a true American, I was swayed by celebrity influence. I was at Big Fin’s location by the Maine Mall, fresh off a “New Girl” binge, when the actor who played Zooey Deschanel’s sometimes boyfriend walked in. Sure, I had to Google his name (David Walton), but I was still starstruck.
And then, in an almost inaudibly deep voice, he ordered th.
