If restaurant trends begin on the coasts and work their way into the middle of the country, then the poke craze is arriving here right on time.

Andrew Shih (pronounced "shee") plans to open Poke Doke (pronounced "poh-kay doh-kay") along with his three siblings at 8 S. Euclid, the former St. Louis Oasis space in the Central West End. The restaurant is slated to open in October.

Shih calls St. Louis an untapped market. “When I was in L.A., I remember seeing five poke shops in three blocks,” he says.

Why Poke Doke? “I wanted a name that was representative and catchy," he says, "something people would remember.” It's all that and a bag of smiles.

Basic poke consists of diced chunks of raw fish (usually yellowfin tuna) tossed in soy sauce and sesame oil, then garnished with green onions, chilies, and nuts for crunch. Poke is not as bare naked as fish tartare, nor as “cooked” as ceviche. Call it raw fish with a lot of distractions.

And though the metro region might be untapped in poke restaurants, there are clear signs that locals have already discovered the cuisine. The Poke Bowl is “by far, by far” the biggest seller at 'ZZA Pizza + Salad, says owner Chris Sommers. Ahi Poke has been a popular salad at BaiKu Sushi Lounge since its inception. And while it’s been available (but buried) on sushi menus around town, Justin Haifley popularized the dish while at The Tavern Kitchen & Bar, where he put “Ahi Poke, Hawaiian-Style Tuna Tartare” on the inaugural menu in 2010. (Haifley had just returned from Hawaii, where the dish was supposedly created by island fishermen who would season bits and pieces of trimmed fish to snack on.)

Today, the dish has become far more complex and interpretive. Most poke restaurants offer a base, as well as the option to add toppings, sauces, and garnishes. Besides basic vegetables, it’s not uncommon to see blistered shishito peppers, edamame, seaweed salad, wasabi peas, pickled mushrooms, and furikake as adornments—even Spam musubi (a nod to the dish's Hawaiian roots). Poke is open to interpretation, which is part of the allure, so poke restaurants, shops, and stalls are limited only by their creativity.

Shih’s parents opened Hot Wok Café in Chesterfield in 1991 and made him a partner in 2008. Shih, age 30, says his parents are in full support of the venture and well aware that poke might be the perfect dish for health-conscious times.

Poke has been called “the next sushi” and “the natural progression from sushi.” When set to fast-casual mode, as Poke Doke will be, the upside potential is there.

Guests will enter the 35-seat space and place their order and extras Chipotle-style. Although the menu is still being tweaked, the ordering process starts with hot white or brown rice, cold noodles, salad greens, and quite possibly wonton chips. (Poke nachos, anyone?)

Patrons will select a protein—raw tuna or salmon, tofu, cooked shrimp or octopus—that is briefly tossed in a special sauce (of which Shih is protective and proud), which can be altered according to spice preference. Next come the toppings—from basic vegetables to fruit to the sky’s the limit—and then a squizzle of sauce if requested, including wasabi aioli, sriracha, eel sauce, and homemade gochujang (a nod to Shih’s Korean roots).

Besides poke, in all its iterations, other menu options will include miso soup, potstickers, crab Rangoon, pork buns, fruit smoothies, and perhaps dessert refreshers, such as green tea ice cream. Shih will also offer seasonal items, proteins, toppings, and sauces. “We’ll mix it up,” he says. “Don’t be surprised to find scallops, maybe some uni—really, anything you see in a sushi place is fair game.”

Besides being fresh-tasting, bold-flavored, low-calorie, made-your-way, fast, and easy to eat, here’s the biggest draw of poke: the price. At Poke Doke, bowls will come in three sizes, priced from $7–$12—half the price of lunch at a sushi joint.