Hawaiian Restaurant Opens in West Park Plaza

Earlier this year, my family got to experience a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Hawaii. The trip was amazing. The beach, the scenery, the drinks, the people... everything I'd ever imagined about Hawaii was even better than I had dreamed. It truly is paradise.

One thing I really enjoyed was the FOOD! Most of our meals in Hawaii were not "fancy" (although everything was very expensive). Lots of the more traditional stye food in Hawaii seemed to be served in styrofoam containers. When we first arrived, I noticed all these restaurants advertising poke.

"What the hell is poke?" I wondered. I quickly found out I was pronouncing it wrong. It's pronounced "poh-keh," not poke. Two syllables. Traditionally, it's a bowl of rice with raw or marinated tuna or other seafood. It usually comes with a variety of local vegetables on top with some special sauces. It is very delicious.

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed a "coming soon" sign in West Park Plaza for the Ohana Poke restaurant. I nearly slammed on my brakes! OMG! A Hawaiian restaurant in Billings?! Yes!

The Ohana Poke Company opened on Monday (8/26). They're located just north of the roundabout in West Park Plaza. Near The Den and that pizza place. The instant I walked in, the delicious smelling aromas floored my senses. It smelled SO good! Ordering is pretty straight forward. Pick your choice of protein (chicken, beef, pork, fish, etc) for your rice bowl, and they load it up with whatever toppings and sauces you'd like. Tons of great flavor combinations to try.  Bowls start at around $10 and are quite filling.

Say it again.. Poke. "Poh-keh". Now, go try it. It's real good. If you've ever been to Hawaii, it'll give you a little reminder of paradise.