This Kaka‘ako Matcha Shop Is a Must-Try Poke and Plate Lunch Spot
Head to Cooke Street Market for a torched aburi salmon plate, and snag a strawberry matcha latte for dessert.
Photo: Andrea Lee
When I worked on Cooke Street, I brought home lunch to save money but treated myself to one meal out a week. More often than not, that treat came from Cooke Street Market. The spicy mayo poke bowl was the highlight of my week.
That was several years ago. “We used to be a poke store, but now, we’re more of a matcha store,” says owner Andrew Ishikawa. With fewer office workers in the area after the pandemic, he says, they had to shift gears. Now, Cooke Street Market is best known for its strawberry matcha latte, an Instagram winner with its brightly hued layers.
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I happen to be a fan of Japanese tea drinks. And while I may not work in Kaka‘ako anymore, I now live there. Here’s what I recommend at Cooke Street Market:
Photos: Andrea Lee
Spicy Mayo Poke Bowl
$17.50, may change depending on fish market price
The poke bowl is more expensive than it used to be (what isn’t these days?), but it’s still worth it with close to half a pound of fish. You can choose from ‘ahi, salmon or any other fish, or a mix of all of the above. I usually get salmon or ‘ahi.
The poke chunks are so big, they’re almost sashimi-sized. Normally, big chunks might be too fishy, but these just melt in the mouth. Though the spicy mayo could be spicier—I have a high spice tolerance—it’s a decent amount of heat and tasty. Crunchy pickles of shichimi cabbage and cucumber brighten the bowl and refresh my palate between bites of velvety poke. And the balanced rice ratio means there’s just enough to eat with all of the poke, not too much.
Photo: Andrea Lee
Aburi Salmon Plate
$21
My new favorite. A sizable hunk of Atlantic salmon is seared, sliced, placed on a bed of salad and topped with wasabi relish, green onions and sesame seeds. Yuzu ponzu sauce comes on the side, and rice and pickled vegetables complete the plate.
Trust me and drench the salmon in the yuzu ponzu sauce—its zest complements the fatty fish along with the wasabi relish. This salmon likewise melts in my mouth, the charred exterior adding a smoky dimension. The plate is surprisingly filling, giving me leftover salmon to enjoy later.
Photos: Andrea Lee
Strawberry Matcha Latte
$8
Lots of places offer strawberry matcha lattes, so what makes this one stand out? Cooke Street Market gets its matcha from Nagata Chaen, a tea maker in Kyoto, Japan (you can buy the tea at the shop, $5 for six 5-gram powder packets); and it makes the strawberry syrup from scratch.
Mix those beautiful layers and sip, and you’ll get why people come here just for the strawberry matcha latte. It’s creamy and smooth, tangy-sweet from the strawberry, and retains the signature matcha taste without bitterness.
There’s also a strawberry hojicha latte. You can swap out the dairy for oat milk for 50 cents more.
Hojicha Frappé
$7
Super smooth and refreshing, this drink is made with Nagata Chaen’s hoji roasted matcha. A drizzle of caramel sauce on the sides of the cup sweetens it considerably (non-sweet tooths can ask for no caramel). The hojicha frappé is huge and lasts me all day.
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If I can drag myself away from my favorites, I’ll try the hoedeopbap (a bibimbap with raw fish) and the miso dynamite salmon plate.
Photo: Andrea Lee
Cooke Street Market is in the Imperial Plaza building (parking entrance on Kawaiaha‘o Street) and will validate for two hours of free parking with any purchase. There is also plenty of metered and free parking on nearby streets. Keep in mind that the kitchen is only open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., but drinks are served all day.
Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., kitchen open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., 725 Kapi‘olani Blvd. C122, csmhawaii.com, @cookestreetmarket
