In 2016, Coronado residents Kevin Shaeffer and Neil Capin formed a company, and then opened their first restaurant, POKÉ 1-2-3, in October 2017 at 801 Palm Avenue in Imperial Beach. Just a mere eight weeks later they opened a second location at 2400 Historic Decatur Road in historic Liberty Station in Point Loma, and soon they will be adding their third location at 1009 Orange Avenue, in Coronado.
Kevin shared the reason for opening on Orange is that “above all, as locals, we think our Coronado community will appreciate a fresh, fast, and healthy dining option, that’s still value-priced.” He tells me, “Our concept and menu is quite distinctive from fast food eateries that serve Mexican food, burgers, or sandwiches. Our poké bowls, signature ‘norittos,’ and exclusive ‘waves’ are easy to eat in our community gathering spaces, as take-out for a working lunch at the office or school, or outside on the beach. We also trust that our Navy community – as well as federal, state, and local first responders – will appreciate our offerings, and we always offer those who serve 10% off on in-uniform purchases.”
I asked how the concept of Poké 123 came to be and he said that he and Neil had been talking about a joint business venture for a while when Neil and his family had a great meal at a similar restaurant and shared the idea with Kevin. Kevin’s first experiences with traditional poké in Hawaii were when he was in the Navy. It was a concept they both quickly became excited about. Neil has many years of successful small business experience in the service and retail industry. Kevin brings expertise in due diligence, public communications, and operations management. So far it’s been a great combination of strengths.
Kevin describes the concept as fast service with a “123” theme. Not only do they offer premium seafood, they also have free range chicken and organic tofu to provide “123” protein choices. They have a simple 1-2-3 step ordering process to make craft poké bowls, and they round out the menu with various “Norittos” (like a burrito but with a seaweed wrap instead of a tortilla) and “123 Waves” (small and taco-like but with seaweed again instead of tortilla). Offering creative high-end options for non-seafood lovers and vegans is an important goal for their company. They strive to source all of their fish and produce from local San Diego wholesalers, and trust their customers appreciate their commitment to use only the best seafood, free range chicken, organic tofu, vegetables and unique toppings.
With many people now eating restricted diets, it’s nice to hear they offer thoughtfully prepared vegan and gluten-free options.. They’ve put a lot of attention into providing tasty vegan options. For example, their house-made sauces are vegan-friendly – including their exclusive “Golden Miso” creamy sauce and their Spicy Mayo sauce. I am hoping they will have tamarind sauce which is a gluten-free alternative to soy sauce.
The team is working very hard to be open this summer; design plans and permitting are all in progress.
The bigger picture for POKÉ 1-2-3? They would love to continue to grow and take their poké concept to other hot-spots in San Diego, and beyond. Kevin says, “We think we’re a great fit wherever there are discerning customers who value high quality and fresh ingredients and demand fast service. Most customers actually think we’re part of an existing national franchise chain when we’ve actually created every aspect of POKÉ 1-2-3 from scratch. We take it as a huge compliment!”
I have heard from a lot of Coronadans who are very excited to have this new addition to the island dining options.
Online ordering is now available (+ delivery services coming soon).
http://poke123usa.com/
Follow them on Instagram: @poke123usa
See also: POKÉ 1-2-3 in Imperial Beach is “Strandworthy”
