Hawaiian-style poke restaurant brings ‘Joy’ to SpringfieldDate: 3/14/2019 SPRINGFIELD – Vikki Liang, owner of the Joy Bowl restaurant is on a mission to offer a fresh and healthy alternative to Springfield’s food scene. The restaurant at 455A Breckwood Blvd. serves poke, a type of dish that includes raw fish, but Liang is quick to point out that it’s not like Japanese sushi.
"It's not Chinese food, it's not Japanese food," said Liang. Sushi is usually served in rolls and by the piece. Liang said poke is “familiar flavors,” but a “different concept."
Poke, pronounced POH-kay, is a traditional Hawaiian dish, usually made with raw, marinated fish, vegetables, and a sauce over rice. Poke is a Hawaiian word that means, “to cut crosswise into pieces,” and refers to the way the fish traditionally used in the dish is cut.
Joy Bowl has a menu of six different bowls. The most popular dishes at Joy Bowl are the Joy Classic, which is made with raw salmon and ahi tuna; the Honolulu, a chicken bowl; and the Hawaiian Classic, which contains cooked seafood.
If you don’t see something you like on the menu, they also offer the option to build your poke your way, either as a bowl with brown or white rice, or as a salad. There are eight kinds of protein, including four raw fish, cooked scallops or shrimp, chicken, and organic tofu. Customers have their choice of 19 different vegetables to mix in and a variety of sauces and toppings.
Being completely customizable also makes the food at Joy Bowl different from most sushi.
Joy Bowl is a family restaurant. Liang said her husband, Terrence Zhao, who is trained as a Japanese chef, is the talent in the kitchen.
“He buys fish every morning so it’s fresh, he does all the preparation.” Freshness is one of the goals of Joy Bowl, Liang explained. Their slogan is Fresh Fish Hawaiian Style.
"We keep everything fresh and we don't have any oil. Very healthy,” said Zhao. Liang added that high-quality ingredients make the difference.
Joy Bowl has been open for about a month and Liang said business just keeps getting better. Much of the clientele, so far, are college students. Western New England University is nearby, as well as Springfield College and American International College.
Liang used to work in her brother's Chinese restaurant in Springfield and said she loved the city and wanted to bring healthy fresh food to the area.
"[I’m] so proud to be a part of this place,” Liang said of Springfield. “Every big city has poke, [I] needed to bring it here."
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