Mō‘ili‘ili’s New Ali‘i Fish Market Levels Up the Poke Bowl Game

Photo: Melissa Chang

If you’ve been around the food scene long enough, you may know chef Robin Abad from Orchids at the Halekulani Hotel, ‘Alohilani Resort and most recently Waipahu High School, where he still teaches and tutors culinary students part-time. And he has a catering and pop-up business called Kiawe and Kabagis.

Robin Abad, Baron Miho, Ikaika Molina, Jhon Asuncion, Walter Luares, Chivas Miho. Photo: Melissa Chang

It was just a matter of time before Abad brought his talents to his own brick-and-mortar. He recently opened Ali‘i Fish Market with Baron Miho and Chivas Miho (who are cousins) in Mō‘ili‘ili to bring together his favorite local comfort foods with poke recipes he’s created to match. At first glance, the food looks a little pricey, but they’re actually pretty good values when you realize they come in sets and many of the ingredients are locally sourced. If you want to build your own poke bowl, you can get all items a la carte.

‘Ahi cakes. Photo: Melissa Chang

I tried four of Ali‘i Fish Market’s six signature bowls:

Da Ali‘i. Photo: Melissa Chang

• Da Ali‘i ($32) has a poke of seasonal ‘ahi, Olakai limu, Paradise Farms kukui nut, Aloun Farms ‘Ewa sweet onion, Hawaiian chile, Kona abalone, house wakame yuzu dressing, Hana Maui pohole ferns and Ululoa Nursery greens. The accompanying Kalua Box includes kalua style pulled pork, lomi tomatoes, alaea salt and ‘uala coconut salad. For $5 more, you can add kiawe-smoked short rib pipikaula. The combination is luxurious and comforting—like a high-end treatment of your favorite lū‘au.
• Chinatown Crawl ($28) includes ginger scallion a‘u poke composed of seasoned marlin, cilantro sauce, Olakai sea asparagus, wasabi tobiko, Aloun Farms ‘Ewa sweet onions, choi sum and shiitake mushrooms. The accompanying Char Siu Box has smoked char siu pork belly with bao buns, hoisin, scallions and cilantro. People love the trend of ginger scallion sauce on everything, as do I, and it’s even better on a mound of the Tamaki Gold rice.
• Kampachi Kanpai ($30) comes with kampachi and hamachi yuzu shiso poke, olive oil, hijiki, Aloun Farms ‘Ewa sweet onions, soy truffled ikura, tamagoyaki, gari shoga, kaiware sprouts and alaea salt. The accompanying WFC Box contains wasabi fried chicken with kabayaki sauce, lemon and wasabi aioli. You know, this sounds like a crazy flavor bomb, but everything is actually a vibrant, harmonious blend of very delicate brushes across your palate. Even the wasabi chicken, which is the heaviest thing in this set, isn’t too spicy.
• Sinigang Sling ($30), Abad’s nod to his Filipino upbringing with tamarind ginger poke, is a trio of ‘ahi, a‘u, hamachi and/or Scottish salmon with house tamarind pias dressing, Aloun Farms ‘Ewa sweet onions, Ho Farms tomatoes, Thai herbs, chiles and cilantro. It sounds a little odd, but it works really well. The accompanying Lechon Box has smoked lechon liempo (belly), lomi tomato and manong’s gravy. The meat looks like porchetta, and on our first bite of the thick-cut skin, we all agreed this is not your average lechon. It’s more than just fat and crunch, as it has layers of flavors that melt into your palate. No need Mang Tomas for this box.

Sinigang Sling. Photo: Melissa Chang

I haven’t tried Spicy Mō‘ili‘ili ($30) or Koreamoku ($29) yet since I only have so much stomach space. But I’m looking forward to those, now that I’ve enjoyed Abad’s surf-and-turf style.

SEE ALSO: Beer Lab Just Opened a Beer Garden and Poke Counter on Beretania

You know the fish is fresh, as Baron Miho—who has worked in Hawai‘i’s seafood industry since 1998—buys seafood at the United Fishing Agency fish auction.

Photo: Melissa Chang

If you have room, the mango pie ($5) is worth a try. In keeping with the comfort food theme, this is reminiscent of the mango cheesecake your mom or aunty makes for parties.

Finding Ali‘i Fish Market may be the biggest challenge. It’s in the same building as Niu Soft Serve, which doesn’t have a lot of parking (and you can’t park on the other side, only on the street). Once you get a parking spot, walk along the strip past Niu, then the gym … and just before you end up on Young Street, you’ll see the sign in a recessed space. Go through the doors and down the steps.

Open Tuesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., 2320 S. King St., aliifishmarket.com, @aliifishmarket