Chikarashi
“I've had the Ponzu Salmon and Goma Shoyu Tuna, both of which were good, but I preferred the Tuna.”
“My husband & I ordered: 1) Seared Toro Suji w/ avocado, 2) Wasabi Mayo Tuna w/ avocado, 3) Creamed Soda, and 4) Dole Whip.”
“Wasabi Mayo Tuna – Very refreshing, I prefer this over the Ponzu option for a light choice.”
Chikarashi
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Caters: Yes
PokéStop Nearby: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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Chikarashi
NY Manhattan Chinatown
3pm Friday 22nd July 2016
Four Stars
On such a hot day in New York, a poke bowl was the best food I could think of. I had two different bowls of tuna.
#3 Large Goma Shoyu Tuna. The fish was marinated in soy sauce and sesame which paired nicely with wakame, hijiki, and roasted garlic chips. The rice was soft, semi sticky, and delicious. The bowl was quite filling.
#4 Large Wasabi Tuna Bowl $15.99. It had cubes of blue fin tuna, wasabi mayo, shichimi, daikon, and beni shoga. The tuna was fresh and plentiful. I like the radish but wasn't a fan of the ginger.
Overall it was quick, delicious, albeit expensive meal.
During my visit, I tried the Seared Toro Suji Pokebowl and I immediately fell in love with it! Here I am thinking, how can Chikarashi charge so much for a Pokebowl? Well, I think I know the answer…. Quality. The fish tasted really fresh and the way it was seared got my mouth watering. I found myself devouring all the fish before even getting to the rice and radishes.
My second favorite thing about this place has to be their dairy-free dole whip. I recommend the Pineapple and Orange flavors. They taste really creamy and refreshing, and they make a great treat for a hot summer day.
Oh and one more thing, the girls in the front taking the orders are incredibly friendly and helpful. There was really no flaw in my dining experience maybe except that fact that there is limited seating and menu options, but above all, I recommend trying this place out. Don't be alarmed by the prices.
Ever since the whole poké fad came to New York, this place was at the top of the list of poké places I wanted to try. I've tried 3 places so far and this one comes in 2nd.
Chikarashi is a small, easy-to-miss shop on Canal Street. It has sleek, modern interior that seems out of place in Chinatown. There are only about 6 or 7 stools for anyone who wants to dine-in. There are also about 6 or 7 fixed options for poké bowls. What I like about other places is that I can make my own, but they have limited options here. It was good and filled me up, surprisingly, but the bowl was a bit on the pricey side for the amount of food I received. On top of the salmon poké bowl, I also ordered the Dole Whip after I finished. I've never had Dole Whip, which seems to only be available at Disney theme parks, but it didn't seem like anything too special to me. On another note, the staff was very helpful and nice. I believe the owner(s) and/or manager (?) was there, and they were really nice.
All in all, I would come back if I were in the area, but I wouldn't go out of my way to come here.
In my opinion, way overhyped and way overpriced. I paid $14 and change for what was basically a bowl of sushi rice topped with a couple pieces of salmon and half of a small avocado, and I ended up having to take my meal to a nearby park because all of the 6 stools inside were taken. The logistics of the storefront was a mess as well, with no designated 'pick up' spot so that everyone waiting for their poke bowls was in the way of other people who were trying to order.
On to the food. I believe that all of the poke bowl toppings are pre-selected, as I didn't see any option to "make your own". I ordered the regular-sized wasabi ponzu salmon poke bowl, although the hostess mentioned that the first option on the menu (Sichuan chili salmon?) was the most popular because I don't tend to like cream-based poke sauces. The salmon was well seasoned, but definitely nothing to rave about, and while the sushi rice was tasty, it felt a bit too warm to have been served with the raw fish.
I most definitely won't be making my way back to this part of town just for poke.
Just came here for the Dole Whip to relive happy memories at Disneyworld. It's a nice treat to have during a hot summer day… aside from the fact that when you walk out into Chinatown, the number of cars on Canal and stench on a humid day smacks you back into reality.
I like Chikarashi a lot, but I think I prefer Sons of Thunder, which seems to be the minority opinion. I've had the Ponzu Salmon and Goma Shoyu Tuna, both of which were good, but I preferred the Tuna. I wasn't a big fan of the avocado in either, which wasn't broken up and was even a little stiff still, but the rest (the fish, rice, etc) was really good.
Both items are also pretty expensive for what you get (especially the Tuna) — I get that it's a fairly expensive class of food, and this is as "high end" as fast food poke gets, but I still find it to be a bit high.
One other thing worth noting — they only give you chopsticks by default. I asked for a spoon, as tacky as that is, but it made it a lot easier to eat the food. (They don't have forks.)
With a plethora of poke spots to chose from, Chikirashi is definitely on top of my list in comparison to Sons of Thunder and Pokeworks. Firstly, it's situated right in the heart of Chinatown. The decor of this place is clean & minimalistic. You can either seat at their small counter or take it to go.
The ordering process here is relatively simple. Instead of customizing your own poke bowl like most places, you select from chirashi combinations already put together by the chef. There are currently five selections to chose from, each ranging from $13-$14 for the regular size or $15-$16 for the large. They also feature a special bluefin toro bowl based upon market availability. I've tried the Ponzu Salmon & the Goma Shoyu Tuna bowl. The ratio of the ingredients were well-balanced and the quality did not disappoint either. Each bowl is packed with generous amounts of fish and the medley of flavors were fantastic. Make sure to end your meal with their delightful pineapple dole whip. All in all, you won't regret giving this place a try and will be running back for more!
People kept telling me how great this place is and I know from instinct that I would have to try it out before too late. Apparently chef Lim has honed his skill at various Michelin-rated restaurants, including Masa and Aureole.
Arrived at the place about 10 minutes before its closure time at 7pm sharp and there was still a line – good sign. Unlike many other popular poke places, Chikarashi did not allow any customization, and their menu was quite simple – bluefin tuna, salmon or fluke; and could go in either large or regular size. Opted for the shoyu tuna bowl, with avocado, garlic crisp and chili oil as add-ins, hmm I love this combination.
Taste-wise, guess other people have already pointed out – rather than describing it as poke, it might be more chirashi-like, and has a slight Chinese tilt, as reflected by the umami flavor marinated in the fish meat. And it is in fact the best poke-bowl that I have ever tasted, slightly better than sons of thunder, by a large margin relative to Pokeworks, and black-and-white difference compared with Wisefish poke.