The Scale Poké Bar, a restaurant that specializes in poké bowls, is expected to open on March 15 at 373 Blair Park Road in Williston, said Neil Farr, who owns the business with his wife, Perry.
“My wife and I have been together for seven years,” Farr said. “For six years, we’ve been working on developing a restaurant plan.”
In its basic form, poké is sliced raw fish — often tuna — with seasoning. As poké bowls have gained in popularity, their ingredients have changed and expanded, and Farr’s restaurant will reflect those innovations, he said.
The Scale Poké Bar will offer signature meals such as Spicy Tuna (ahi, sriracha aioli, pineapple, scallions and more) and create-your-own bowls with options including salmon, cooked shrimp, beef, chicken and tofu. Those proteins will be served on a choice of bases such as white rice, brown rice, zoodles (zucchini noodles) and mixed greens. Bowls will come in three sizes, from snack ($7.99) to big enough to share ($15.99), Farr said.
Farr, 35, is a graduate of Colchester High School and the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. He previously worked at Reinhart Foodservice and Sky Burgers, the erstwhile Church Street restaurant, where he was kitchen manager.
Open daily, the Scale Poké Bar will occupy the space that housed the Williston location of Pingala Café. That branch closed on Friday, February 2.
The original print version of this article was headlined “Bowl Bonanza”
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This article appears in The Love & Marriage Issue 2018.
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This is the epitome of food culture gone wrong. None of the ingredients of a poke bowl are native to Vermont nor a step in the right direction for food sustainability (tuna served at scale with pineapple?!)
Reject this idea Vermonters – get poke on a California vacation and demand ethics with your creativity. Poke is a fad – and one that should stay in locations that can produce it sustainably.
Very refreshing to see a local, family-owned restaurant opening in Williston! So excited to have the opportunity to try something new!
As a Hawaiian I am really excited to see an authentic poke restaurant open up in this area! It’s well past due!
I’d also tell the gentleman who commented before to be a bit more open-minded.
Id encourage all my fellow vermonters to give this place a try it looks legit!
I love poke! And I can’t wait to be able to enjoy this healthy delicious cuisine in Vermont! Thank you! Aloha
Welcome, welcome. Any non chain restaurant in Williston will be greeted with open arms. Looking forward to trying something new. I have never had pok.
I am over the top thrilled with this new and different and LOCALLY OWNED and OPERATED eatery in Williston!!!! Thanks Neil and Perry!
This will be a great addition to the Williston area! Im so excited to support this business!
@UVAlex
Your response is the epitome of internet culture gone wrong. Why do you feel the need to blast something with such negativity? I wonder if you could present your opinions in a way that would gather more support?
In direct response to your first claim, I argue that although some of the ingredients are not local, they are in line with a healthier, low (or free of) processing/additive/preservative focus of recent food culture. This should be supported, especially in light of the current choices in Williston.
That guy whos against the poke bowl is serving up a large bowl of white privilege stew. Just let us enjoy something besides cheese and maple syrup. And yes, I know the poke is served with a dusting of cultural appropriation but life is imperfect sometimes.
To UVALEX, they are actually sourcing some of their ingredients from another local company, Honeywilya, who offer sustainable, line caught, Alaskan Salmon. Its not perfect and its coming a long way to get here but at least they are trying for responsible choices.