Miyako Poke Bowl (Lexington, KY)

For sushi bowls in central Kentucky, visit Miyako Poke Bowl in Lexington. Customize your own bowl, and then reach for a bubble tea!

By: Alisha Trenalone

Do you love poke bowls? Or are you a complete newbie to them?

Living in rural Kentucky, where it takes new varieties of food just a little longer to filter into the region, I've been in the latter group until fairly recently.

But seeing photos of beautiful dishes like Sarah's deconstructed sushi bowls, her spicy tuna poke, and her spicy salmon poke intrigued me.

And so when I heard that some poke-specific restaurants were opening in Lexington, I was keen to visit.

I visited Miyako Poke Bowl for lunch one autumn afternoon to find out what it was all about.

Visiting Miyako Poke Bowl

The restaurant is located in central Lexington, not far from the downtown area. It opened in 2018.

Looking for activities nearby? Check out the University of Kentucky Arboretum, the hiking trails at Raven Run, or Talon Winery.

When I visited in mid-afternoon the restaurant wasn't very crowded, so I got my food quickly. You can also order online.

The restaurant is tidy and attractive inside, with a small dining area. There are also a few tables outside.

Building a Bowl

If you've never tried poke bowls before, you might be a little puzzled about what to order.

Miyako Poke Bowl has several suggestions of bowls with pre-selected ingredients that go well together. Their menu is split into raw and cooked options.

Or you can build your own bowl by selecting your base (rice or greens), a couple of proteins (the list is long!), and whatever toppings and sauces sound good.

By the way, with their emphasis on rice, protein and veggies, poke bowls are often a good option if you're trying to go gluten-free. It's also easy to order them vegan.

If you prefer not to stray outside your traditional proteins like grilled chicken, beef, and shrimp, you can absolutely order a bowl made with those. Or you can try out their barbeque eel, kimchi octopus, fried tofu, or various types of seafood.

As a newbie, I let the pre-selected menu do the work for me. The Hawaiian Classic sounded pretty good. It featured ahi tuna, onion, pineapple, and cucumber.

It was really good! Not too spicy. Chilled and refreshing on a warm day!

I added a mango bubble tea to my order, and it was creamy and (very) sweet. They also come in traditional, strawberry, taro, or green tea flavors.

I would definitely go back and try other flavor combinations here at Miyako Poke Bowl. What type of poke bowl should I try next?