Crazy Poke to Open in Wynwood

Poke, a trendy Hawaiian-born seafood bowl, has made its way to Wynwood. Crazy Poke is slated to open in early 2017 at 312 NW 24th St., and Ono Poke Shop is days away from opening at 23rd Street and North Miami Avenue, according to its Instagram account.

Pronounced po-kay, the fish salad blends diced raw fish, vegetables, sauces, and seasonings into a medium-size bowl. Taste aside, what makes this food trend so popular is its pleasing appearance, thanks to the vibrant colors of the ingredients. It's one of 2016's hottest foodie movements, with independent shops sprouting up across the nation.

Argentine restaurateur Gonzalo Rubino is behind Crazy Poke. Before moving to America, he owned sushi bars in his native country. He received an offer to sell his restaurants back home and decided it was a sign to embark on a new challenge.

"You can expand a business much easier here," he says. "I wanted the opportunity to create something big, and I couldn't do that in Argentina."
For Rubino, Crazy Poke is that opportunity. His fast-casual shop will serve a variety of signature bowls and sushi burritos and will offer a build-it-yourself option. All of Crazy Poke's fish, including tuna, salmon, hamachi, octopus, and shrimp, will be delivered fresh daily. Instead of using frozen fish, Crazy Poke will use sustainable fish supplied from across the country.

Crazy Poke will open on 24th Street near Panther Coffee and Coyo Taco, one of Wynwood's most popular areas.

"We hope that by selling a good-quality product, we will become the poke version of Coyo," he says. "We're trying to give customers the best we can. In this case, it's really fresh fish with a chef-driven menu."

If Crazy Poke's flagship does well, as Rubino envisions, he expects to open five other locations across South Florida before 2018.

For more information, visit crazypokemiami.com.

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