Restaurant review: Pololi, Central - Hawaiian dishes for under HK$100

The hand paintings of hibiscus and totems at the entrance make it hard to resist peeking into Pololi on Graham Street to find out what it's all about. Inside, the colourful surfboard and other decor catch your attention, while the large handwritten blackboard, and the beer-lined food station next to it, tell you what's on offer: Hawaiian sashimi bowl.

The takeaway shop, which has stools along the wall if you want to stay, is possibly the first place in town to serve poke (pronounced "po-kay"), a traditional Hawaiian dish of marinated raw tuna. In addition to ahi tuna, Pololi also serves cured octopus and, for vegetarians, a sesame-based creamy tofu.

One of the owners greeted us like old friends, talked us through the concept and let us sample each flavour before we ordered. There were seven flavours to choose from on the Saturday we visited, including ginger and soy sauce, Hong Kong-style (with five spices), traditional spicy (with Hawaiian chilli and onion), and spicy mayo (with sriracha sauce and fish roe).

They are made in small batches throughout the day and are all tasty in their own way, with some being creamy and others being spicy. So it's all about preference.

The chunky tuna cubes were satisfying. My favourites were the wasabi mayo and Thai-style, which is seasoned with lemon grass, and has very smooth pieces of tuna. But the rice could be fluffier and have more seasoning.

You can pick two flavours for each bowl (top, HK$90), and choose the poke with rice or salad, or half of each. It makes for a quick, nutritious meal, and is great for a picnic, with the Hong Kong Park within walking distance.