By Will Fairless
Opelika Observer
POKEMEN, a restaurant serving poke bowls and ramen, opened early this February at 2701 Frederick Road in Opelika.
The menu features fresh raw fish, such as tuna and salmon, and other proteins, including tofu, chicken and octopus. Available to complement those main ingredients in a poke bowl (a Hawaiian dish comprising raw fish, rice and any of a variety of sauces and seasonings) or in ramen are vegetables, from lettuce to seaweed, fruits and toppings, like roasted garlic and fried onions.
Soo Shin, the owner of POKEMEN with her husband Jay Jang, says the restaurant offers healthier options than other establishments in the same arena.
“Everything is fresh and much healthier than fried things that you might see,” Shin said.
She is quick to dismiss the idea that the ramen they serve at POKEMEN is anything like the ramen one might get for a dime at Walmart.
“We make the noodles here, and they’re never fried or packaged,” Shin said.
Shin said that, in addition to healthy food, one of the main draws of the restaurant is its combination of cold food (poke bowls) and hot (ramen). “People come in for the poke … they see the ramen and come back to try that,” Shin said.
POKEMEN is a great lunch or dinner option, and customers have the option to take their meals to go or eat them in the dining area. To learn more about POKEMEN, call the restaurant at 334-737-6353.