It’s really nice to be giving the opportunity to review a Nottingham eatery with a difference and Pokewaves certainly goes into that category.  Located in the upper mall of the Clocktower dining area in Nottingham’s intu Victoria Centre, Pokewaves offers the City its first taste of Hawaiian food.

Influenced by Japanese food, Poke (Poke-ay) is fresh and healthy and, with so much choice on offer, there is probably something that everyone would be able to enjoy (including gluten free and vegan options) .   

Although initially a bit daunted about what to choose, the staff were very helpful and talked us through the different options, from In-House Bowls to Building Your Own. There are 4 steps to building a bowl. You start with a base – sushi rice, brown rice, Soba Noodles or Leafy Greens, then you pick your protein – Yuzu Salmon, Wasabi Salmon, Ahi Tuna, Garlic Shrimp, Teriyaki Chicken or Miso Tofu.  Finally, you choose 4 toppings (there are too many to mention here but include mango, pickled cucumber and green salad), then add a sauce and a garnish.

We went with the advice to have the In-House Bowls and chose the Garlic Shrimp and the Teriyaki Chicken.  The brown rice was warm and cooked in a way that I have never been able to manage – absolutely delicious.  The Teriyaki Chicken, with its marinade of soy sauce, sake, sugar and ginger was plentiful and tender and the overall mix of sweet and sour ingredients made for the ideal lunch. The prawns were also well cooked and juicy and mildly flavoured with garlic.  In fact, the bowls are so substantial that neither of us could quite finish them, which was a bit of a travesty.

With regards to cost and in my opinion, these bowls are excellent value.  OK, so they might cost a bit more than my usual McDonalds but with a Miso Tofu bowl costing £6.85 or my Teriyaki Chicken at £7.35, you get plenty for your money and you can be a bit smug with the fact that you’re eating healthily but not sacrificing enjoyment or flavour.

Pokewaves is a ray of sunshine in the open plan eating area which, on the day we visited, was clean and with plentiful seating (although I can imagine it gets pretty crowded during the weekends).  There’s good accessibility and even a giant chessboard nearby if you fancy a game.  While we were there, we met Lynette Pinchess with her nearly full Pokewaves loyalty card.  As Nottinghamshire Live’s Food and Drink Editor and someone who knows the Nottingham food scene very well, I’d say that was an excellent endorsement for this rather splendid takeway.

The Pokewaves menu is served daily Monday - Saturday 11.00 am - 7.00 pm, Sunday 11am - 6pm.  You can find out more on their website here.

Thanks to Nicola Rankin for the photos.