By Heather Salsman
The Freshest of Friends
Lafayette recently welcomed its newest restaurant, Southfin Southern Poké. With two locations established in Baton Rouge, the three Louisiana men who founded the restaurants are excited to showcase their version of this Hawaiian treat with a southern flare.
Aimed toward serving the freshest ingredients possible, Southfin offers a menu which features locally grown ingredients like purple rice from Crowley, never frozen tuna and wild caught Gulf shrimp.
What the Poké?
Poké (pronounced po-kay) is served in a bowl and typically starts with a rice or lettuce base, then topped with vegetables and diced tuna. Luckily, Southfin also offers a large variety of proteins like salmon, shrimp, chicken, tempeh and crawfish.
The Southfin Originals from the menu spotlight pre-designed bowls like the Wasabi Gras: Gulf tuna, shrimp, shoyu sauce, wasabi honey mayo, seaweed salad, cucumber, sweet onion, pickled ginger, pickled jalapeño and wasabi peas.
Pro-tip: Choose Asian sweet potato noodles as your base, which happen to be gluten-free!
Vibin’ Atmosphere:
Once guests enter the restaurant, they are greeted by a poké enthusiast who explains the menu and guides you to the customizable style line. First choose a base, then choose a protein, add your toppings, mix with a sauce and garnish to completion. The open-air produce and crisp colors of the restaurant set the tone for the fresh, southern flavors.
Dining on a Diet
As proud partners of Eat Fit Acadiana, Southfin also caters to several dietary needs like vegan, vegetarian, Whole 30, Keto and gluten-free. All of their sauces are made in-house and are also gluten-free and Keto-friendly. Even the shave ice treats are made with fresh fruit syrups, a desirable treat for the children (and adults).