Many Louisianians are familiar with island culture. It’s been said that southern Louisiana, New Orleans in particular, is a Caribbean island refuge on the American mainland. Now, a new island culture is making its home in Baton Rouge, courtesy of Southfin Southern Poké.
Southfin Southern Poké serves a Hawaiian dish called poké, pronounced poh-kay. According to Southfin general manager Eusebio Gongora, poké is originally a Hawaiian street food. The word itself comes from the Hawaiian word for “to cut” or “to dice.”
“The dish was kinda developed out of necessity,” Gongora said. “Fisherman looking for something to eat saw the delicious tuna in front of them, and mixed it with some soy sauce and onion.”
In Hawaii, it is served as a raw fish salad, usually mixed with a soy product, vegetables like Maui onions or cucumbers served fresh in a bowl.
The poké isn’t the only thing that makes Southfin Southern Poké distinct. One of their featured menu items is a type of purple rice, unique not only for its color, but also for its connection to Baton Rouge and the University. The purple rice, sourced from a company called Blanca Isabel, was developed by the late Milton C. Rush, a former professor and plant pathologist at the University.
“It was one of the things that drew me to it.” Gongora said when asked about the product.
An alumnus and longtime supporter of the University, Gongora had first heard about the purple rice at a tailgate.
“Somebody had said that next year, our jambalaya could be purple.” Gongora said. “I was like, what are you talking about. When I saw it was making a run in the culinary world, I thought it would be pretty cool.”
Southfin Southern Poké uses all local produce, and all of its tuna and shrimp are sourced from the Gulf of Mexico. Gongora has said that he plans to continue supporting local produce.
“Whenever we can support and celebrate the products from here, we will take advantage of that,” he said.
