Here’s what’s replacing a closed off-Strip sandwich shop
Chef Michael Nguyen, a Hawaii native, now has his own poke shop on the Ninth Island, as Poke Market debuts in the UnCommons development in southwest Las Vegas.
The menu features poke bowls built from marinated ahi or salmon, toppings and house sauces, along with poke by the pound. The menu also features inari bombs (sushi rice stuffed into sweet-savory pouches of fried tofu), made-to-order hand rolls, and Hawaiian beverages, snacks and desserts.
“Poke Market is a personal journey back to my origins, and I’m excited to share the traditional poke recipes that shaped my passion for cooking,” Nguyen said.
The chef’s professional background includes stints at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in the MGM Grand, Restaurant Guy Savoy in Caesars Palace, and Aqua Seafood & Caviar Restaurant in Resorts World, where Nguyen continues as chef de cuisine.
Other closings and openings
The launch of Poke Market comes amid changes to the food and drink offerings at UnCommons.
In May, Mizunara, a Japanese restaurant from famed chef Shotaro Kamio, and Smitten Ice Cream, known for its cryogenic ice cream, closed in The Sundry food hall. A month later, the entire food hall shuttered a little more than a year after it had debuted; at the end, only one of the original 15 purveyors remained.
But there has been good news, too.
Siempre, J.B., a Mexican steakhouse from Ayya Hospitality Group of Vegas, started sending out flat iron steaks on hot stones in July. And Kaiyo, the Bay Area spot serving Japanese-Peruvian Nikkei cuisine, and Rare Society, a retro homage to midcentury steakhouses, are planned to open by the end of 2024.
Poke Market is at 6815 Tom Rodriguez St., Suite 110, in the space previously occupied by Mercadito, a sundries and Cuban sandwich shop that closed this year. Poke Market is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Visit pokemarketlv.com or follow @pokemarketlv on Instagram.
Contact Johnathan L. Wright at jwright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @JLWTaste on Instagram.
