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Island Fin Poké Bringing Its Hawaiian-Style Poké Bowls to Bowie

By: Island Fin Poké |  0 Shares     305 Reads

Diners will be able to build their own bowls by choosing from eight proteins, over 25 toppings, house made sauces and mix-ins

January 09, 2020 // Franchising.com // BOWIE, Md. - Poké was a meal not well-known outside of Hawaii until a few years ago, but today there are nearly 2,000 poké restaurants outside of Hawaii, with much of that growth coming in the last two years. Today, one of the newest chains battling for dominance in the booming segment is headed to Bowie.

Island Fin Poké, a Florida-based fast-casual chain known for its Hawaiian-style poké bowls served in a comfortable laid back beach shack environment, is slated to open its doors this month in the Bowie Marketplace Shopping Center at 15485 Annapolis Road.

This will be the first of two Island Fin Poké restaurants to be opened in the area by husband and wife Sean and Latasha Pennant.

“We are extremely proud and excited to bring Island Fin Poké to Bowie and the surrounding communities,” said Latasha. “This is our first family business and we chose this concept because it allows us to offer a fast, delicious and healthy food option. It was important for us to open the first store in the community in which we live, and to date, we are the only standalone poké restaurant in Prince George's County.”

Latasha, a Coast Guard Veteran, retired in Bowie with Sean and their two daughters. The couple plans to have all hands on deck, with even their 7th and 11th graders getting involved in the business. Latasha also has a M.Ed in School Counseling and hopes to use the business to become a positive influence to students in the area. The couple has made an effort to hire local students and plan to have an art wall inside the restaurant to showcase local talent in the community.

“Community is everything to us,” said Latasha. “We are already looking at opportunities to give back and help others locally, I would love to partner up with a local behavior program or somewhere we can serve as role models for kids and invite them into our Ohana.”

Founded in 2017 and franchising since 2018, Island Fin Poké follows the original essence of the Hawaiian-style poké dish: farm-to-fork, all locally and responsibly sourced. Guests can build their own bowls by choosing from eight proteins, over 25 toppings, house made sauces and mix-ins. Starting with a base of white rice, brown rice or spring mix, diners can add proteins such as Ahi tuna, spicy tuna, shrimp and chicken. Toppings include mango, pickled ginger and crispy garlic, and there are a variety of mix-ins such as edamame, corn, sweet onions and jalapeno. Ponzu and shoyu are among the freshly made marinating sauces, and finishing sauces include avocado sauce and wasabi cream.

As seasons change, so does the menu. Customers can discover exciting flavors and new dishes destined to vary with what fresh and local sources bring to market. The majority of menu items are gluten-free, and there are vegetarian and vegan options.

“The Pennant family embodies our biggest value of Ohana (family),” said co-founder Mark Setterington. “Not only is our Hawaiian food authentic, but our culture is, too. As we continue to expand, we place our trust in franchisees who embody these values, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome the Pennants to the family.”

The local expansion comes at a time when Island Fin Poké continues to rapidly expand its national footprint. Today, there are four locations in Florida and Massachusetts, three of which have opened in the last six months alone. The Pennant’s 2 units are the first signed in the state of Maryland.

About Island Fin Poké

Founded in 2017 and franchising since 2018, Island Fin Poké is a Florida-based fast-casual chain that serves Hawaiian-style poké bowls in a comfortable laid back beach shack environment. Today, there are four locations in Florida and Massachusetts, with numerous others in various stages of development across the country. For more information, visit www.islandfinpoke.com.

Media Contact:

Abby Brindza
Franchise Elevator PR
(216) 644-8040
abrindza@franchiseelevator.com

SOURCE Island Fin Poké

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