Out & About #316 | Poke Guys + Hancook

​What a sight it is to witness positive temperatures in February - bless Mother Nature for cooperating during my Reading Week!

I initially ventured downtown donning four layers of varying materials and thicknesses, only have to shed 1-2 pieces as the day progressed. The walk that had been anticipated to be overcast and breezy (think autumn in Vancouver) evolved into a somewhat breezy day with blue skies and few clouds shortly after lunchtime.

​The day's itinerary had been outlined approximately one week in advance: a quick lunch meetup in the core then a more extensive exploring adventure once another familiar face concluded academic activities.

​Entirely unaware of my dining partner's dislike for raw fish, I suggested a place that I heard endless affirmative comments about: Poke Guys. The trendy spot had taken over The Great Canadian Bagel on Elizabeth Street just north of City Hall. The layout of the dining area was similar to what I can recall, though the sticker decals on the wall, colourful chalkboard menu, and substitution of the bagel counter for a low-height, rack-sporting refrigerator were definitely new additions.

​Seating was limited to a few two-person tables and a series of "bar" seats along the frontmost edge of the interior; seeing this, I quickly grabbed the last table before perusing the menu.

All members of staff were friendly and prompt in acknowledging every new occupant of the room, despite the incredible number that stumbled in during the lunch rush. It was evident that efforts were made to assist each customer in a timely manner, regardless of state of urgency, by taking orders and processing them in an assembly line.

​My greatest fear of poke restaurants tends to be steep prices being charged for small bowls with little substance (cough pokeh, Calii Love cough) or where an an extra charge is incurred for majority of the decent quality toppings. Bowl size is another factor to take into consideration; I detest wastage from unfinished food, though takeout is not an option since raw fish should be consumed immediately (or within the recommended thirty minutes, anyway).

​Customization is the key to winning the heart - or rather, stomach - of an impossibly peticular person, but most establishments will also offer a few Signature Bowls for the sake of ease (and preparation speed). There are five signature options at Poke Guys: Vegetarian, PG's, Cali's, Sooo Fresh, and A Hui Hou, where PG's Bowl and Cali's Bowl earn the top spots in popularity.

Originally in contemplation of building my own bowl, the idea was dismissed when informed that the lower price also meant fewer toppings. While scanning the menu earlier, I had also noticed the additional charge for ahi tuna and avocado in the customized option. However, I remained reluctant to settle for white rice.
To my utter delight, I was told that the base of the Signature Bowls could, indeed, be altered. Hearing this, I chose Cali's (with brown rice) without a second thought.

​The quick-service restaurant keeps avocado wedges tightly secured in plastic wrap within the condiment bar until needed - this was an aspect of operations that I hadn't witnessed at other poke joints. Regardless, I applauded this extra dose of effort, as the piece in my bowl had maintained freshness with minimal browning.
Toppings- and sauce-wise, customers were permitted to choose any number and type to slather on top of their bowls. I skipped the jalanpenos and fried onions, instead opting for pickled watermelon radish, wakame salad, green onions, and fine strips of seaweed.
Their sauces were rather innovative: Spicy Aioli, Wasabi Mayo, Creamy Togarashi, Classic Shoyu, and Ginger Yuzu Mayo; I requested all but the first (it was likely made with sriracha). A sprinkle of togarashi powder added a gentle fiery kick that even I, a being with an excruciatingly low spice tolerance, could appreciate.

​I remained apologetic for my partner's selection of the Vegetarian Bowl, though she reassured me that her pick was healthy and tasty. Eyeing the blocks of firm tofu, juicy mandarin oranges, and unexpected tomato chunks, I could tell that she wasn't lying about the fish-free combination.

My own bowl was a blissful compilation of muti-toned toppings paired wit well-marinated and wonderfully flavourful salmon and tuna cubes essentially oozing of freshness. The prior steps of marinating and seasoning contributed to a significant difference in taste and texture. The housemade sauces were adequately unique in that each retained its distinctive flavours without compromising the poke marinade. Each element was savoured with the greatest amount of enjoyment.
My only complaint is that the pickled watermelon radish wasn't nearly as sweet as claimed, but merely bland and crunchy; nonetheless, it was refreshing.

​Poke Guys offers four sizes (though I'm uncertain whether the two smaller soup containers count as "Regular" or "Large"); the Regular came to a total of $11.30 after tax. Of course, this taking into consideration that a Signature Bowl with no additional toppings were chosen.
It's safe to say that my poke woes were expelled at this location - the "Guys" provided fresh, flavourful options without sacrficing quality and quantity. Most importantly the portion size was appropriate and economically-priced for the neighbourhood it was situated within.

​Finally, it should be drawn to one's attention that bathrooms are located in hallway just outside the back entrance. It can be assumed that the stalled are shared amongst other establishments in the same building.

​Following my seriously satisfying lunch, I took to errand-running at Eaton's. By this point in time, the morning fog had cleared almost entirely, leaving the down coat-clad citizens below in almost-sweltering conditions.

Side: Nordstrom has a K-Beauty pop-up right now! Currently, they are carrying select items from too cool for school and Belleme.

While en route to meet ochungg, a quick stop at Nohohon was made to obtain a Yuzu Lemonade (the intense amount of walking back and forth required quenching) and a Furano Fields. (Despite delaying my Ritual order by a few minutes, the duo increased preparation speed excessively when I arrived and even added a super generous scoop of lychee jelly!)
The original plan had been to sing our lungs out at Echo, though for some odd reason, the doors were locked when we arrived.

​Ultimately, this is just encouraged us to head up to and stroll about Koreatown earlier instead. (Banana milk is on sale!!!)

Notice the dedicated 아가새 marking left at Mr. Pen:

​As the sky dimmed and Jinyoung's magazine was nowhere to be found, we discussed dinner choices in the area.  From previous research, several of the establishments had violated DineSafe infractions on more than one occasion. Traditional Korean cuisine was in abundance, but I suggested a spot that had caught my attention on a previous trip.

​The basement-level dakgalbi establishment had greatly piqued my interest with images of cheese-covered hot plates plastered on its street-facing window pane. Our hearts were in agreement for the modern street dish, and we steadily descended the accessiblity-unfriendly stairs to Hancook.

​Two young members of staff, both clad in black with a half apron, greeted us promptly upon our entry. Once seated, we were provided laminated menus and a jug of ice water. Quite frankly, we could have easily narrowed down our preferred dish without the presence of a menu, for on both sides of the restaurant were images of the menu items captioned with their names and prices.

​It was practically a no-brainer for first-timers such as ourselves to order the infamous Cheese Dakgalbi. For$11.99 per person, the table would receive a large bubbling pan of stir-fried marinated chicken, cabbage, carrot, sweet potato, and ddeokbokki. Instant ramyeon, rice, or extra cheese could be added for additional charges of one to two dollars. 

With our orders placed, the menus were whisked away and a trio of banchan were delivered. White pickled radish, corn kernels, and Korean potato salad filled the sectioned tray. A tabletop gas stove bearing the battle scars - er sauce stains - of previous diners arrived shortly as well.

​While it was primarily the male member of staff that delivered our food items, the doe-eyed waitress serving our table was especially attentive to our requests. She was pleasing to communicate with, despite a few clumsy tendencies.

​In a relatively short period of time, Cheese Dakgalbi was presented in all its vibrant red and cheesy glory. Being someone who regularly specifies orders to be made mild, I was extremely wary of the spiciness of the dish. The first bite of carrots and onions was manageable, though the second spoonful of gochujang-soaked ddeokbokki set my mouth ablaze. I constantly reached for ice water and small spoonfuls of creamy potato salad throughout the meal to neutralize the spicy sapidity, though I mostly avoided the rice cakes as they seemed to absorb a greater amount of the sauce.

​Gradually, the lack of mildness became more tolerable, and I was finally able to perceive the flavours within the marinade as well as the components of the dakgalbi itself. The stir fry was undeniably delicious and packed a simple but appreciable blend of seasonings. I found the chewy chicken bits, carrots, and onions to be the most enjoyable elements of the base dish. Needless to say, stringy bits of melted mozzarella elevated the dish to even greater heights.

​All dinner items included a small serving of patbingsoo for dessert. Perhaps it was since both of us had expected snow ice (or 설빙) that the emerging cup of plain ice and red bean paste resulted in a pang of disappointment. It occurred to me later that patbingsoo was, in fact, customarily made with chunks of plain ice and not the sweetened milk variation. Once the underlying block began to disintegrate, it became less of a challenge to scoop and consume in conjunction with the sweet yet somewhat savoury red bean paste.

​As expected with many Korean-operated establishments, the washroom is on the small side and located behind a dilapidated wooden door. However, this is not to be confused with a lack of cleanliness. Quite the opposite, the two-stall bathroom was equipped with fully functional apparatus and only a few specks of dust in the corners. Plastic adhesive hooks had even been mounted on the backs of the stall doors for added convenience.

​On an overall note, Hancook provided a top-notch first experience for Cheese Dakgalbi (and dakgalbi in general). The casual dining spot had stellar service, impressive food quality, and a comfortable dining environment, all at a very reasonable price. Before returning for more of their stimulating specimens though, I think it would be beneficial to improve my spice tolerance beforehand to fully embrace the experience.

It's not you, it's me.

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