By Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor, Podcast Host Published Jul 17, 2018 at 3:30 PM

Freshfin Poke, the locally owned fast-casual restaurant specializing in fresh, healthy, Hawaiian-style rice bowls, will officially open its doors at The Corners of Brookfield on Wednesday, July 18.

The bright corner space is located at 240 Lord St., just around the corner from Lululemon and adjacent to CycleBar. And, thanks to the exceptional signage and visibility from I-94, it’s a restaurant that’s pretty difficult to miss.

"Both The Corners and the Town of Brookfield have been such great partners in this endeavor," said co-owner Nate Arkush of the new location. "We’re really excited to be here.

"Being the first fast casual restaurant at the Corners is a great opportunity for us, and we have hopes of becoming a go-to lunch spot for area residents."

The interior of the space, which seats about 45 guests, is similar to the restaurant’s East Side location. It’s bright and modern with floor to ceiling windows, custom wood tables and bright white seating. Meanwhile an L-shaped banquette forms the focal point for the dining room with its pink and grey fish-focused upholstery.

That color scheme carries over onto the ceiling which is augmented with a collection of hanging pink and grey fish.

And while there’s plenty of seating inside, there are also tables just outside the restaurant where diners can eat while soaking up the sunshine.

The menu

On the menu guests will find the restaurant’s popular collection of signature bowls, available in 16-ounce or 24-ounce portions. Combinations include the Mango Tango (salmon, $11.95/14.95), Spicy Tuna ($10.95/14.95), Curry Coconut (with shrimp or chicken, $9.95/13.95), Cilantro Chicken (pictured below, $9.95/13.95) or the vegetarian Zen Bowl featuring honua protein (shiitake mushrooms, sweet potato and avocado) for $9.95 or $13.95.

Meanwhile, the Kailani Bowl features a laundry list of goodies including chicken, shrimp, avocado, edamame, jalapeno, daikon, pineapple, crispy onion, crispy garlic, carrots, cucumbers, pickled ginger, cilantro lime, Sriracha aioli, sweet shoyu and Thai chili ginger ($11.95/15.95).

If you prefer, you can also build your own bowl by choosing your protein (Ahi tuna, salmon, shrimp, honua or sous-vide chicken), your base (white or brown rice, mixed greens or kohlrabi noodles) and your sauce (classic, gluten-free classic, garlic ponzu, sweet shoyu, cilantro lime, thai chili ginger or Sriracha aioli) and add-ins including vegetables, fruit and condiments like wasabi, ginger and tobiko. Pricing is $10.95 for a regular bowl or $14.95 for a large bowl.

Rotating sides include truffle crab salad served with gluten-free rice crackers ($3.95), seaweed salad ($2.95) and smoked edamame and salmon dip served with rice crackers ($4.95).

On the sweeter side, you can also grab an acai cup, featuring acai yogurt, flaxseed granola, dried cherries, fresh tropical fruit and shaved coconut ($3.95).

Smart expansion

Brookfield marks the third location for Freshfin Poke, which also operates locations on the East Side and Third Ward. A fourth location is also on the docket in Madison, as well as at the forthcoming Bucks arena.

Arkush, who manages the day to day operations of Freshfin Poke’s locations, along with operating partner Andrew Foster, says they’ve been fortunate to have had such an exceptional reception from Milwaukee area residents, allowing for the brand’s rapid expansion.

"We’re really excited about the Bucks arena. It’s great exposure for the business, but beyond that, the investment that they’re putting into Downtown and into the city, is so impressive. The Bucks organization has done so much in terms of bringing attention to the city, and we’re really excited to be a tiny part of that."

Freshfin Poke in Brookfield will be open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor, Podcast Host

Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with each and every dish. She’s had the privilege of chronicling these tales via numerous media, including OnMilwaukee and in her book “Milwaukee Food.” Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. 

When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or recording the FoodCrush podcast, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.