Yasutsuna Tanaka poses outside his restaurant, Fisherman’s Poke Jun Tsuna, in Okinawa’s American Village. (Brian McElhiney/Stars and Stripes)
The secret to authentic poke is in the sauce, said Okinawa fisherman Yasutsuna Tanaka.
Tanaka, owner of Fisherman’s Poke Jun Tsuna in American Village, used to visit his aunt in Kaneohe, Hawaii, for Thanksgiving every year, he said at the restaurant in early October. That’s where he developed a taste for the dish, which consists of cubed raw fish, marinated soy sauce and sesame oil and other toppings over rice.
What separates poke from a traditional Japanese sushi bowl is the spice factor, Tanaka said. The soy sauce is mixed with Hawaiian salt and spices and can have quite a kick depending on what you order.
I discovered Tanaka’s restaurant when he was based in Kitanakagusuku village, where I live. He opened the restaurant there five years ago and made the move to heavily trafficked Chatan town in February.
“It was good timing,” he said. “I was looking for a place in Chatan and just found this; it was pretty quick.”
As a fan of poke from numerous visits to Hawaii, the experience at Tsuna scratches that itch. The portions may not be as generous here, but they deliver in flavor and freshness.
Tanaka and his father catch all the tuna they serve, he said. Photos on the wall show him posing with some of his catches, including some bigger than him.
A poke bowl featuring tuna and salmon, spicy mayo, garlic, wasabi, avocado and edamame from Fisherman’s Poke Jun Tsuna in Okinawa’s American Village. (Brian McElhiney/Stars and Stripes)
On my recent visit for lunch, I ordered a regular size tuna-salmon combo topped with spicy mayonnaise, and it was enough to satisfy. You can order up to two proteins — options also include Okinawan octopus, shrimp or tofu — for an additional 100 yen, or about 70 cents. With additional toppings including avocado, edamame, garlic and wasabi, plus an iced tea, the price came to about 2,400 yen, or about $16.50.
The spicy mayo packed a punch but wasn’t painful to eat (I’ll sometimes get jalapeno for a bigger kick, but felt like taking it easy this day). The generous-sized fish portions lived up to the fresh-caught hype, and were complemented by the perfectly ripe avocado and edamame.
My dining partner, a Hawaii native, was also impressed by the freshness. The seaweed and sesame flakes, or furikake, had a nice crunch, and the topping ratios were well proportioned.
For now, Tsuna is open daily for lunch and dinner, although that may change, according to its website. Parking can be tricky at American Village, but it’s worth a drive.
Look for Fisherman’s Poke Jun Tsuna in Okinawa’s American Village in Chatan. (Brian McElhiney/Stars and Stripes)
Fisherman’s Poke Jun Tsuna
Location: Depot Building C 1st floor, 9-12 Mihama, Chatan-cho, Okinawa
Directions: Less than two miles from Camp Foster.
Hours: Open daily, 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Prices: Starting at 1,380 yen for a regular size or 2,080 yen for a large size. Additional toppings are extra.
Dress: Casual
Information: Online: poke.tanka.okinawa; Instagram: @fishermans.poke_tsuna
AloJapan.com