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A very small place however it can crank out some outstanding poke. Portion size is decent and you're not paying for simply rice with toppings. The woman who works there is super sweet and very friendly. The inside has a Hawaiian vibe and gets you in the mood for poke. Prices are very reasonable so you won't break the budget to eat here. We would come back
If you aren't paying careful attention, you might just walk right past this place, because as others have noted, it is very tiny. Given very limited seating and not great atmosphere, it's definitely more of a takeout kind of place. We grew fond of banh mi from several years of living near Little Saigon in SoCal, and having been looking for a great place to get it here in Asheville, especially made with chicken instead of the traditional pork. Just tried the chicken banh mi here and would rate it good, but not great. First, the many good things it has going for it: great crusty baguette, very tasty sauce, good pickles, peppers, carrot and fresh herbs layered nicely. What's missing then? The chicken itself was just so-so. Not sure if it was baked or boiled, but it didn't seem to be seasoned in any way and was pretty tasteless (note: it didn't taste bad in any way -- just very plain). With a sandwich little this, you don't want the chicken to come on too strong, as the other ingredients as noted above should also come through. But it would be nice if the chicken had some sort of flavor or seasoning of its own to complement the other elements. With the best banh mi we grew accustomed to in Little Saigon, that was always the case. The prices are very reasonable and this seems like a nice little family run business trying to make a go of it by offering poke and banh mi in downtown Asheville. Based on that, we would consider going back, but we hope they do work on improving the chicken (maybe the pork version is better, but if they are going to offer a chicken alternative, it should be equally as good).
Aloha Cafe is a fantastic addition to downtown Asheville! Aloha is a teeny tiny little cafe located right downtown. There is enough seating inside for about 8 people and outside for another 8 people. It is super cute and definitely would be a great place to order from and take to go. If I worked downtown, this would be dangerous as I would need to go here a few times a week for lunch. Aloha specializes in Poke bowls and also offers spring rolls and Bahn Mi. They have a menu of house Poke bowls but you can also build your own. I based my choice on the Yelp photos and as I thought the Volcano bowl looked most delicious, I ordered that and subbed tuna for the fish. I'll admit that I should have read the description first because it was very spicy! I had a hard time eating it at times but it was ridiculously delicious anyway. The fish was super fresh and the bowl had the perfect combination of textures and flavors. It was large and a very filling meal. I also ate some of my husband's BYOB which was very different than mine and his was also delicious. Our friends that we were dining with loved their meals too. The staff here was super friendly. When we arrived, they gleefully greeted us and helped us move some tables together to fit us all. They brought waters out for us right away. When we ordered, they helped us make decisions and gave recommendations. I love some good customer service. It can really make an experience special. I am looking forward to going back and trying some spring rolls and building my own bowl sometime very soon. They should start delivering....
I'm Asian, lived in Japan for a year as an adult, and born and raised in Southern California... doesn't make me an expert but it does mean I've had a lot of access to poke and sashimi. I'm not sure why there are 5 stars here. I ordered the dragon bowl--it's About 2 cups of white rice, half a cup of carrots and radish, 1/2 cup salmon, "dragon" sauce, some sesame seed, seaweed, and chopped avocado. Also ordered the teriyaki spring rolls--iceberg lettuce, what tasted like fried onion, and chicken. And a Diet Coke. As for the bowel, pardon, bowl, the dicon radish was pickled and overpowering. The sauce was heavy and completely drowned out the flavor of the salmon. The best part of poke, for me, is the raw sashimi, how it blends with the rest of the flavors. This all tasted like vinegar and dragon sauce. When I bit into the spring roll, I had to do a double take. It tasted like chicken but looked like canned tuna. I am 99% sure it was canned chicken. Finally, my Diet Coke was expired by almost a year. Why didn't I say something while I was there? We ordered it to go! I would say a hard pass.
Poke Doke Bowl $10.99 This bowl is so good! All fresh vegetables! I will definitely come back here!
Banh mi was 100% the best I've had in awhile. It was fresh made and super delicious. Would recommend if you are around to stop by. The staff was very friendly and the service is fast!
While in Asheville walking around I suggest to stop here for a refreshing boba or tea drink! Also grab a snack! Honestly prices are great wish I had time to order the whole menu! Easy to find it right in the middle of downtown Asheville. The staff was nice and kind.
Oh my god. Yes. Yes. And more yes. How long have I been to waiting for a banh mi downtown? 10 years. When Aloha Cafe's sign went up advertising Poke Banh Mi and Spring Rolls many months ago, my mouth started watering in eager anticipation. This week, they finally opened their doors, and I don't think I've ever seen a restaurant come out swinging with such gusto. Aloha does 3 things, Poke Bowls, Banh Mi Sandwiches, and Fresh Spring Rolls, and they do them all well! There are different varieties of each, but they aren't wasting time on random silliness. My wife and I chose the classic spring rolls, the aloha banh mi, and the dragon bowl z poke bowl. It was love at first bite. The spring rolls are sooo fresh, with large plump shrimp cooked to perfection. No rubbery dumb times here. The banh mi was a dream come true. It's the right price. It's the right texture, and the flavor is just what I've been missing. I can't wait to buy one for my sister. The pâté is officially banging. My wife and I tried the poke bowl after the first two items and inadvertently saved the best for last. I was excited by the banh mi. I was floored by the poke bowl. I was afraid it would be a bowl that's almost right. Just enough to get you excited but let you down in the end. There was no disappointment. This. Is. It. The amount of expletives my wife and I dropped after each bite would make even the most seasoned sailors blush. Every bite was a joy. The rice, the tuna, the avocado. Boom. Boom. Boom. Get to Aloha now before the line starts stretching out the door.
SO delicious. Affordable, with good service. It's a tiny little space, but we still ate in for lunch and it wasn't too busy that we felt crowded. Best poke in Asheville! The volcano bowl is killer. My husband got the dragon bowl Z which was also really good, but could've benefited from some more add-ins.
10 months ago
Visiting town. Found this cute place. Small but had places inside to sit. Had pokey p bowl. Very good. Prepared fresh. read more
3 months ago
A very small place however it can crank out some outstanding poke. Portion size is decent and you're not paying for simply rice with toppings. The woman who works there is super sweet and very friendly. The inside has a Hawaiian vibe and gets you in the mood for poke. Prices are very reasonable so you won't break the budget to eat here. We would come back read more
7 months ago
If you aren't paying careful attention, you might just walk right past this place, because as others have noted, it is very tiny. Given very limited seating and not great atmosphere, it's definitely more of a takeout kind of place. We grew fond of banh mi from several years of living near Little Saigon in SoCal, and having been looking for a great place to get it here in Asheville, especially made with chicken instead of the traditional pork. Just tried the chicken banh mi here and would rate it good, but not great. First, the many good things it has going for it: great crusty baguette, very tasty sauce, good pickles, peppers, carrot and fresh herbs layered nicely. What's missing then? The chicken itself was just so-so. Not sure if it was baked or boiled, but it didn't seem to be seasoned in any way and was pretty tasteless (note: it didn't taste bad in any way -- just very plain). With a sandwich little this, you don't want the chicken to come on too strong, as the other ingredients as noted above should also come through. But it would be nice if the chicken had some sort of flavor or seasoning of its own to complement the other elements. With the best banh mi we grew accustomed to in Little Saigon, that was always the case. The prices are very reasonable and this seems like a nice little family run business trying to make a go of it by offering poke and banh mi in downtown Asheville. Based on that, we would consider going back, but we hope they do work on improving the chicken (maybe the pork version is better, but if they are going to offer a chicken alternative, it should be equally as good). read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
Aloha Cafe is a fantastic addition to downtown Asheville! Aloha is a teeny tiny little cafe located right downtown. There is enough seating inside for about 8 people and outside for another 8 people. It is super cute and definitely would be a great place to order from and take to go. If I worked downtown, this would be dangerous as I would need to go here a few times a week for lunch. Aloha specializes in Poke bowls and also offers spring rolls and Bahn Mi. They have a menu of house Poke bowls but you can also build your own. I based my choice on the Yelp photos and as I thought the Volcano bowl looked most delicious, I ordered that and subbed tuna for the fish. I'll admit that I should have read the description first because it was very spicy! I had a hard time eating it at times but it was ridiculously delicious anyway. The fish was super fresh and the bowl had the perfect combination of textures and flavors. It was large and a very filling meal. I also ate some of my husband's BYOB which was very different than mine and his was also delicious. Our friends that we were dining with loved their meals too. The staff here was super friendly. When we arrived, they gleefully greeted us and helped us move some tables together to fit us all. They brought waters out for us right away. When we ordered, they helped us make decisions and gave recommendations. I love some good customer service. It can really make an experience special. I am looking forward to going back and trying some spring rolls and building my own bowl sometime very soon. They should start delivering.... read more
I'm Asian, lived in Japan for a year as an adult, and born and raised in Southern California... doesn't make me an expert but it does mean I've had a lot of access to poke and sashimi. I'm not sure why there are 5 stars here. I ordered the dragon bowl--it's About 2 cups of white rice, half a cup of carrots and radish, 1/2 cup salmon, "dragon" sauce, some sesame seed, seaweed, and chopped avocado. Also ordered the teriyaki spring rolls--iceberg lettuce, what tasted like fried onion, and chicken. And a Diet Coke. As for the bowel, pardon, bowl, the dicon radish was pickled and overpowering. The sauce was heavy and completely drowned out the flavor of the salmon. The best part of poke, for me, is the raw sashimi, how it blends with the rest of the flavors. This all tasted like vinegar and dragon sauce. When I bit into the spring roll, I had to do a double take. It tasted like chicken but looked like canned tuna. I am 99% sure it was canned chicken. Finally, my Diet Coke was expired by almost a year. Why didn't I say something while I was there? We ordered it to go! I would say a hard pass. read more
5 years ago
Poke Doke Bowl $10.99 This bowl is so good! All fresh vegetables! I will definitely come back here! read more
5 years ago
Banh mi was 100% the best I've had in awhile. It was fresh made and super delicious. Would recommend if you are around to stop by. The staff was very friendly and the service is fast! read more
3 years ago
5 years ago
5 years ago
While in Asheville walking around I suggest to stop here for a refreshing boba or tea drink! Also grab a snack! Honestly prices are great wish I had time to order the whole menu! Easy to find it right in the middle of downtown Asheville. The staff was nice and kind. read more
Oh my god. Yes. Yes. And more yes. How long have I been to waiting for a banh mi downtown? 10 years. When Aloha Cafe's sign went up advertising Poke Banh Mi and Spring Rolls many months ago, my mouth started watering in eager anticipation. This week, they finally opened their doors, and I don't think I've ever seen a restaurant come out swinging with such gusto. Aloha does 3 things, Poke Bowls, Banh Mi Sandwiches, and Fresh Spring Rolls, and they do them all well! There are different varieties of each, but they aren't wasting time on random silliness. My wife and I chose the classic spring rolls, the aloha banh mi, and the dragon bowl z poke bowl. It was love at first bite. The spring rolls are sooo fresh, with large plump shrimp cooked to perfection. No rubbery dumb times here. The banh mi was a dream come true. It's the right price. It's the right texture, and the flavor is just what I've been missing. I can't wait to buy one for my sister. The pâté is officially banging. My wife and I tried the poke bowl after the first two items and inadvertently saved the best for last. I was excited by the banh mi. I was floored by the poke bowl. I was afraid it would be a bowl that's almost right. Just enough to get you excited but let you down in the end. There was no disappointment. This. Is. It. The amount of expletives my wife and I dropped after each bite would make even the most seasoned sailors blush. Every bite was a joy. The rice, the tuna, the avocado. Boom. Boom. Boom. Get to Aloha now before the line starts stretching out the door. read more
7 years ago
SO delicious. Affordable, with good service. It's a tiny little space, but we still ate in for lunch and it wasn't too busy that we felt crowded. Best poke in Asheville! The volcano bowl is killer. My husband got the dragon bowl Z which was also really good, but could've benefited from some more add-ins. read more
The Poke Bowls were served without missing a beat. Aloha Cafe is a fantastic place to dine when you're in Ashville, North Carolina. This eatery offers a delicious array of menu options for an extremely budget friendly price. I must add, the ingredients are so fresh and the staff were great. While the inside doesn't have too much seating, a Poke bowl is an easy meal for those on-the-go and Ashville is a beautiful city for those who just want to picnic (may I recommend the neighboring community garden). I will certainly be back next time I'm in the city. read more
4 years ago
3 years ago
8 years ago
I've been stalking Aloha Cafe for a few weeks and at last they opened! Today we dropped in for lunch and ordered the Classic Banh Mi and the Dragon Ball Z poke bowl. We went here, mainly because I'm Vietnamese and I've been craving a decent cha lua pate banh mi for the last 3 years I've lived here. So, we walked in - were greeted warmly and then put our order in. The classic banh mi - was pretty tasty! The bread was light, not too chewy, not too crusty - I wondered if they baked it in house. When I make banh mi at home, and used a french baguette it was too chewy and crusty. Theirs was good, pretty light and airy. The pickled veggies were perfect (slightly sweet, slightly acid, nicely julienned), and the cha lua (pork white ham) was perfect. I could use a little more aioli or butter/mayo, but the aioli they use is pretty good. Their pate is a little more on the liver forward side vs, garlic-creamy side, but I liked it overall. Also could use some jalapeno that actually has some heat, The real star was the Dragon Ball Z poke bowl. The tuna with the spicy sauce, the perfectly cooked rice and crunch of the cucumber, sesame, buttery ripe avocado etc. - that was the BEST poke I've had in NC. The owner came out to check on us and he was very friendly and super sweet. Plus, he's Vietnamese, so you know the spring rolls and banh mi are going to be legit. In all of Asheville, if you are looking for Banh Mi or a Poke Bowl - this is the place. Location, ambiance, cleanliness, flavor - top notch. read more
Good to find this fresh seafood oasis. Ordered the shredded chicken bahnmi which was a bit underwhelming but will be back to try the poke bowls. Sandwich was ok but needed more than a quarter cucumber slice and a squish of Spicy sauce on top of shredded chicken within a baguette to be something memorable. All sounded delicious in the menu board. Expect to wait for some 20min as each is made to order. Expect it will be busier in the high tourist season and the sidewalk tables taken up by eaters rather than tired walkers. read more
4 years ago
7 years ago
Very impressed! What a fresh, flavorful, exciting new meal option downtown. Aloha Cafe offers something for most dietary preferences, from pescatarian (obvi) to vegetarian, vegan, and paleo/low carb. In addition to several preset bowls, there's the option to build your own. Not feeling rice? Have your poke over a bed of lettuce, kale, or spinach. Don't eat raw seafood but also not vegetarian? There's pulled chicken for you. Vegan? There's a tofu option and a whole list of vegan menu items thoughtfully posted to make building your bowl easy. Prefer brown rice? They've got that, too. The poke itself is just awesome. The fish is fresh, firm, and sweet. Veggies have a good snap to them. The sushi rice is served at a nice lukewarm temperature - no hard, starchy cold centers. I loved all the sauce and topping options. Good to know: whatever sauces you order will be tossed with your protein. I had tuna poke and salmon tossed with citrus ponzu and atomic (wasabi) aioli, with purple cabbage, radish, pickled dikon radish and carrots, sushi ginger, seaweed salad, jalapenos, kimchi, rice seasoning, sesame seeds, cilantro, and crispy onions. The folks behind the counter didn't bat an eye at my crazy combo of ingredients, and they were super helpful in giving advice on building a good bowl. I also liked that they use a light hand with the sauce and don't skimp on the rice. My husband got the Dragon BallZ bowl and was very happy as well. For the kiddo we ordered a chicken banh mi, and the kitchen was kind enough to sub mashed avocado for the spicy mayo and cut it into kid-sized pieces. It's hard not to like this place. Minor suggestion: they could cut the jalapenos and cucumbers a bit thinner. And maybe offer a plain aioli. Otherwise - it's perfect. My 2-year old put it best: "Yummy yummy!" Aloha Cafe is one of the best new options in town. We'll definitely be back for more - soon! read more
This place is a tiny little gem. My only criticism thus far is the single-use plastic. If there could be better utensils/packaging selections, it would be perfect! Tasty and fresh. The very sweet lady behind on the counter came to check on me twice to see if I needed anything! read more
4 years ago
5 years ago
8 years ago
The price is higher standard for a poke bowl and they definitely don't skimp on the race! The history facts on the wall are great. Even though it was opening week, the service wasn't too bad. Overall very happy to have a poke place so close to home. read more
7 years ago
I was really looking forward to the Aloha Cafe opening up! The interior is bright, cheery, and charming and the staff were courteous and efficient. Their packaging (even the styrofoam!) is recyclable and portable, which I liked. The meal itself though, was a little disappointing. The Classic Spring rolls were okay. They honestly would have been better smaller, with half as much lettuce. The basil and shrimp were sort of lost in all that iceberg. The Dragon Bowl Z and my BYO Bowl with Tuna Poke were both drenched in spicy (!) mayo. The amount of poke compared to rice was also rather skimpy. The toppings were fresh and they had lots of options (though no tempura crunch, which is my favorite!) including seaweed salad and masago. All in all, "okay" is all I can muster. I would try it again, but I'm not in a hurry to go back. read more
4 years ago
4 years ago
5 years ago
7 years ago
Amazing food and fast service. Restaurant is very small so don't bring a big group, but a fantastic lunch spot for a couple people. read more
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