Out & About #265 | pokeh + Hamilton Farmer's Market

To say that I was frustrated with myself for failing to check the opening hours for the Farmer's Market would be an understatement. Truthfully, I was downright upset with myself for committing such an inefficiency-inducing mistake.

Twitching with frustration and disappointment, I ventured back to Jackson Square the next day. This time around, the market was open and the weather was more forgiving.

Once inside, I made a beeline for pokeh, a spot that's appeared numerous times on my Instagram feed.

Two items that I've been craving immensely since my return from Vancouver have been: Korean bingsoo and poke. While my attempt to fill the void for the first item wasn't entirely successful, I had high hopes for my pokeh experience.

It was located in the back corner of the market, directly across a ramen spot that offered a whopping 15% discount to students of the local university. Quite simplistic, pokeh consisted of nothing more than a very compact kitchen (one quarter of which was taken up by rice cookers), several cork boards displaying their menu options, and several bar seats.

​As with several other poke restaurants, they offered a few signature creations (Classic Signature, Green Signature, and Spicy Signature) as well as a fully customizable build-your-own selection. None of their signature bowls particularly piqued my interest, so I looked towards creating my own instead. Regular bowls were priced at $10, while Large at $13; the only type of payment accepted was in the form of hard cash.

​I was guided through the ordering process by a friendly lady at one end of the bar. She asked me to specify my choice of protein and toppings in an orderly manner as she checked off the items on a order slip. The resulting bowl consisted of a base of cucumber noodles and brown rice, Ahi Tuna, enoki mushrooms, crispy onions, pumpkin seeds, and nori strips. I wanted a slight kick, thus opted for Wasabi Mayo.
Several standard components in other establishments such as tobiko were considered "Premium Toppings", and were associated with additional charges of fifty cents or one dollar. The other toppings (kimchi, wasabi peas, edamame, kale, etc.) weren't exactly authentic, per say; elements such as corn and pickled daikon weren't on the menu either.

​Orders were processed with exceptional speed, and the chefs delivered my bowl to me within just a few minutes of sitting down. Ingredients had been tossed in the seasonings and sauces just as witnessed in other spots, but the final product was dissimilar to that I've witnessed before.
A gentle furrowing of the brows indicated slight dissatisfaction in regards to the size. I have never been one with an grand appetite, but, even by my standards, I had found the bowl to be quite small, especially given the price tag.

The ratio of toppings to base was probably 3:7 - incredibly tiny portions had been scooped on top of the veggie noodle-rice duo, just grazing the brim of the container. In addition, the base was essentially bland, unlike Poke Time who had gone the extra mile by drizzling their various sauces throughout to ensure consistency in flavour.

With the exception of the crispy onions and limited cubes of ahi tuna, which I'm surprised they didn't charge extra for, the bowl did not possess a defining characteristic. In the words of a fellow food enthusiast, it was "decent", though still far from stunning. Ah, I miss Vancouver.

​The rest of the Farmer's Market remained unexplored, so I took to investigating the two levels of local merchants before heading back. Among these vendors were butcher shops, bakeries, express versions of cafes, floral boutiques, and the occasional handmade souvenir stop

According to the findings of my research, Cake & Loaf was a "must-go" destination. The friendly staff assisted me in choosing between their various indulgent treats to take home. Many retained a butter-laden, sugar-heavy appearance, which made choosing a challenging task. Ultimately, I picked their Churro Waffle Cookie, Zucchini Carrot Loaf, and Pumpkin Apple Cranberry Loaf with Pecans.

The three items were neatly packed in a box, which was revealed when I finally made my way home. Sans frosting, the Zucchini Carrot Loaf best suited our tastes. Some may perceive it to be on the dry side, though I quite enjoyed the lack of moistness. The Pumpkin Apple Cranberry Loaf was tasty, but overall too crumbly and devoid of a distinguishing flavour. Lastly, the Churro Waffle Cookie was dense and dusted with cinnamon sugar to such a degree that each bite comprised of half sugar and half deep-fried dough.

The Chocolate Chip cookies that they had presented as samples near the cashier had proved to be pretty good, so I may just try the $8 bag next time. As a whole, I didn't find their loafs and pastries all that impressive. But then again, it may simply be because I'm more accustomed to lighter flavours and textures.​

​Last stop of the market: Henry Brown's Small Batch Ice Cream.

​The impromptu ice cream stop was probably the best find of the day. I was permitted - encouraged even! - to sample as many flavours as I so desired. Turkish Coffee, "Stranger than Fiction", and Green Tea Kit Kat were my tasting requests, though the first emerged as the winner due to its bold aroma and speckled texture.

​​The stall carried sugar cones, waffle cones, 4 oz. and 8 oz. cups, as well as pints for taking home. Not completely hungry, I chose the smallest size, in which only one flavour could be selected. The first few bites were smooth, albeit a bit melty. Some several spoonfuls later, however, the ice cream became progressively satiating. I ended up finishing half of the cup before handing it over to my Scrooge of my travelling buddy.

That being said, the inclination to try their other flavours remains. They were unique, and, best of all, they accepted alternate forms of payment.

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