Sweetfin Poké with Payman Benz

"Sweetfin Poké with Payman Benz" is Episode 202 of *Doughboys*, hosted by Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger. "Sweetfin Poké with Payman Benz" was released on May 9, 2019.

## Synopsis

We're joined by director Payman Benz (*The Last Man on Earth*, *Brooklyn 99*) as we travel to a California-native chain serving their take on a traditional Hawaiian dish: Sweetfin Poké. Plus, a Koreatown-inspired edition of Snack or Wack.

## Nick's intro

In 1959, the same year the territory became a state, James A. Michener released his epic novel, *Hawaii* - a sprawling work of historical fiction that spans 1000 years and pages to trace how the island chain went from uninhabited archipelago to thriving hub of cultural convergence. The first humans on the island were Polynesians who arrived by canoe and, over the centuries, their descendants would come to self-identify as native Hawaiians.

But as with the Americas, the fate of Hawaii was forever altered by the intrusion of the West, after British explorer James Cook made landing in 1778.

As is the pattern, missionaries and colonists subsequently brought Christianity and capitalism, subjugating much of the native population to work on sugar plantations and killing off many others with foreign-borne diseases. In the 19th century, to meet the labor demands of Hawaii's massively profitable cash-crop industry, immigrants came from China and Japan, further influencing the island's identity.

It is this co-existence of disparate cultures that help make Hawaii and its food so unique: fusion cuisine from before the [term] existed, leading to fare like Spam musubi, which is grilled Spam over rice wrapped in edible seaweed.

But it's one of the island's oldest dishes that has perhaps become its most iconic - a portion of raw, chopped, and seasoned seafood with a two-syllable name from the Hawaiian language. For centuries, mostly the purview of islanders; in the 1970s, the once traditional reef fish and octopus were replaced by the more visually pleasing, and toothsome, ahi tuna. The food would become a destination delicacy for Hawaii's many tourists and decades later would begin to secure a beachhead on the mainland.

In 2015, former *Top Chef* contestant Dakota Weiss opened a quick-service eatery selling a California-inspired version of the dish just a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica. An immediate hit, in part due to the quality of fish provided via its trademark "pole to bowl" philosophy, the island-chain-inspired restaurant has itself become a chain, now with nine locations across the greater LA area.

And while the raw-fish dish's staying power in the contiguous 48 has yet to be determined, it will no doubt remain a staple in Hawaii for many centuries to come, centuries to be chronicled by the Micheners of tomorrow.

This week on *Doughboys*: Sweetfin Poké.

## Fork rating

* Build Your Own Bowl
	+ Salmon
	+ Creamy Tagorashi Sauce
	+ Citrus Kale Salad
	+ Blistered Shishito Peppers
	+ Cilantro
	+ Cucumber
	+ Market Radish
	+ Wasabi Peas
* Vanilla Matcha Dream Pop
 Mike Mitchell
* Sriracha Tuna Signature Bowl
	+ Blistered Shishito Peppers
	+ Cilantro
	+ Bean Sprouts
	+ Edamame
	+ Crispy Garlic
	+ Crispy Onions
	+ Bamboo Rice
* Berry Dreams Pop
 Payman Benz
* Mango Albacore Signature Bowl
	+ Edamame
	+ Cucumber
	+ Seaweed Salad
	+ Crispy Onions
	+ Wasabi Furikake
	+ Bamboo Rice
* Vanilla Matcha Dream Pop
 shared
	+ Forbidden Rice
* Taro Chips

With these scores, Sweetfin makes the Golden Plate Club!

## Snack or Wack

In Snack or Wack, The Doughboys have a snack and decide if it is 'good' or 'bad.'

For this episode, Payman brought some treats that he bought at a grocery store in the Koreatown section of Los Angeles: Corn Chee and Corn Cho, as well as Bing Bing.

The Doughboys have tried Corn Chee before in this episode (and interestingly all voted wack that time). This time, they all liked each of the three snacks, even though they considered them weird; they then ranked them.

 Mike Mitchell
 Payman Benz

Corn CheeCorn ChoBing Bing

## Quotes

**Payman:** It's a little too sexy.

## #hashtags

* #FlossLeader
* #KetchCold vs. #DontKetchCold

## Related Episodes

* DD. BOWL: Poké Region
* 389. BOWL: Semi-soft Finals
* 391. BOWL: Finals

## Photos

Salmon Build Your Own BowlPonzu Lime Sweet Potato Veggie BowlSriracha Tuna Signature BowlSriracha Tuna Signature BowlMango Albacore Signature BowlGuava Lemonade and Coconut Banana Chai