Poke Cafe - North Charleston

Update!!! It's now 11 PM, and I'm considering a trip to the ER. I woke up with severe abdominal cramps and diarrhea after eating just a few bites of the bowl—definitely a bad idea.

The ramen here is excellent! It's served with the toppings arranged separately on top of the steaming broth. I tried the Korean spicy pork belly ramen, and it was fantastic!

I stopped by for a quick lunch. It’s a bit pricey, but the food was delicious. Everything tasted really fresh. The boba teas were enjoyable, and the poke bowls were good, though I wish there were more topping options. Overall, I’d give it an 8 out of 10.

This restaurant had its merits, but there were a few issues I encountered. First off, the atmosphere was excellent. They had One Piece playing on the TV, and the decor was appealing. The edamame was served cold, which some people might enjoy, but it wasn't really to my preference. The tonkotsu chicken ramen was decent; however, the chicken wasn't great and tasted a bit frozen. I found one of the bamboo shoots to be hard, while the others were cooked perfectly. I also felt the prices were a bit high for what we received. Overall, it was a good experience, but not the standout I was hoping for. I might return to see if my experience was an isolated incident.

The Korean Spicy Ramen with pork belly arrived beautifully deconstructed to prevent overcooking, which made my husband very happy. The broth was rich and full of spices, while the pork was tender and packed with flavor. He described it as spicy and delicious. The biggest surprise was the egg, which he said added a special touch to the dish. I tried the GMC roll, which was unexpectedly spicy, featuring a chili heat that caught me off guard. It was so spicy that I ended up using the wasabi to counterbalance it! To cool things down, I enjoyed a Taro milk tea that was sweet, creamy, and refreshing—without the boba. My husband usually orders his boba tea without the boba too, so he happily shared a few sips, which helped ease the heat on his palate. The Rainbow poke bowl had crispy toppings, which I wasn’t expecting since I didn’t read the menu closely enough. The tuna was good but a bit fishier than I prefer, while the salmon was delicious. I always appreciate masago, and the addition of mango provided a nice sweetness and freshness, with avocado adding a creamy richness. Eel sauce and spicy mayo came on the side, allowing me to customize the flavors to my liking. I had initially wanted the Volcano poke bowl, but it comes on greens instead of rice. I didn’t think to check if a swap was possible, but I suspect it is. However, I’m glad I didn’t get it this time, as the Rainbow bowl nicely complemented my spicy roll. The Volcano bowl on rice will just have to wait until next time, which I hope will be soon!