Pacific Catch in Corte Madera--Poke Bowl is finally in the North Bay

Poke Bowl (Ahi Serrano Rice Bowl) at Pacific Catch in Corte Madera.

When I first moved to the Bay Area in 2005, one day I'm with my buddy running errands in Marin County, and he runs into this place to get some kind of salad with ahi tuna to go. Looks good, and he commented that folks in the North Bay have high standards when it comes to good fish. I've been meaning to check this place out for myself, and last night we finally did.

Fried Calamari Appetizer. Perfectly done. I don't want to disrespect the places I loved in Austin that did calamari just right too, but let's face facts, there's a big difference between using frozen & fresh calamari. Not sure about Pacific Catch's calamari, but I know it's easy to to find fresh locally caught calamari around here. I wouldn't be surprised if theirs uses fresh calamari.

Above & below: Spicy Tuna Roll. Spot on. Just enough spice.

Both the previous dishes were quite good preludes, but judging by the quality of the Poke Bowl (they call it Rice Bowl on the menu, but this is essentially what most people call Poke Bowl elsewhere), it'll be what we'll order in the future. We split one order--next time we'll just get one full order each. 

First off, this is the first Poke Bowl place we know of in the North Bay, and I predict it'll be everywhere from Sausalito to Novato, and even parts of Sonoma County, before you know it. What's remarkable is the high calibre of the ingredients: sashimi grade tuna, high quality pickled ginger, seaweed salad that's exemplary, delicious perfectly ripe avocado, mixed greens with great texture and flavor, brown rice with no taint of rancid tones that's still warm like it's been cooked within the last hour or two which means plump warm kernels. Those little things add up to the best Poke Bowl I've ever had. 

I have to admire the acuity of Pacific Catch. Most of the clientele we saw (it was early on a weeknight) were older folks, and I'm sure they're aware that tastes and dining tendencies are changing, and no doubt they've gradually been changing their menu to cater to more to younger tastes, but also to those with healthy & gourmet options in mind. The fact that they changed their menu to suit newer tastes, and have accomplished mastery of a new cuisine so well is a testament to both the prowess of their cooks on the line, and management.

Pacific Catch (local chain with several locations)

https://pacificcatch.com/locations/corte-madera/

133 Corte Madera Town Center

Corte Madera, CA 94925

(415) 927-3474