December 31, 2017

The Weekly Bite: Poke Rainbow in Van Nuys

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Van Nuys’s Poke Rainbow.

How did you end up in the restaurant business?
My passion to food started years ago when I met my sushi chef teacher. He is a retired Japanese sushi chef who had dedicated his whole life to sushi. He came to visit his daughter in US but felt bored without making a sushi. We both worked in this Japanese restaurant, and I was so lucky to be his student, and learned everything about sushi, how to cut fish, how to make sauces, and how to serve sushi. It is not just a roll or a piece of raw fish, each detail makes different. It is an art!

Graduated from Art Center, I worked as a designer in toys companies for years. However my love to food never stops. I am always looking for different food. I went to Hawaii multiple times, and fell love in Poke there. This Hawaii food inspired me. Poké is a flavorful version of sushi. It is very pretty when combined with all kinds of vegetables and rice, like a rainbow!

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes several years ago, and I cannot tell you more that how important to eat healthier. Follows doctors direction, I lost 60 pounds in 6 months, and keep the it since. I choose fish and vegetables more often than grilled hamburgers or fried meat. It does make a difference!

I want to share my diet story with people having problems, and wanted to tell them it is possible that you can control your weight and still enjoy an amazing food. It was like a natural decision that I wanted to open a Poké place. It is flavorful, healthy, endless customizable, very pretty and affordable to every one.

My wife and I started from the scratch, designed the logo, designed the sauces and menu, interior environment, etc. Poké Rainbow was born in December 2016. We now have 10 more employees who all have passion to amazing food. Learned from Warren Buffett, “Do not just satisfy customers, delight customers” has been our business model since day one.

We’d love to learn more about the struggles you’ve had along the way.
It was challenging. The place was not ready for a restaurant, and we had to redesign the interior and passed all the required permits. It was not easy, however, it did not stop us.

Tell us something interesting or unique about Poke Rainbow.
Our business model is unique, Not only satisfy customers, delight them. We would like you enjoy our healthy and delicious poke as we do.

We have alternative healthier base such as organic quinoa, organic baby kale and soba noodles as options, which would help weight control.

The other unique is our sauces. All the sauces are special and made in house. You can always find your favorite.