Dining
BY JOVANNA AGUILAR
From left, Ellie Sou stands next to her husband, Sinarith Uy, and his brother Sam Nang.
Ohana Poke Bowl o ers a variety of po-boys including shrimp po’boys ($13.99) .
At Ohana Poke Bowl customers can customize their own poke bowl.
PHOTOS BY JOVANNA AGUILARCOMMUNITY IMPACT
Ohana Poke Bowl serves Hawaiian, Japanese cuisine
Originally from Cambodia, 20-year Navy vet- eran Sinarith Uy and his wife, Ellie Sou, returned to Texas from Spanish Fort, Alabama, in search of better opportunities for their family. When the opportunity to open their own restaurant came, Sou didn’t think twice about it. Although growing up Sou said she refused to learn how to cook, later in life her family’s lack of access to aordable food led her to learn to cook and create her own sustainable recipes. “We moved here because we’ve been raising our kids in small towns and struggling with
restaurant nearby,” Uy said. To show their appreciation to the community, Ohana Poke Bowl oers discounts for teachers and law enforcement. On the menu Alongside Uy’s brother Sam Nang, the eatery serves Hawaiian-inspired poke bowls with a Jap- anese inuence as well as Cajun seafood. With ingredients sourced locally and from Taiwan, Ohana Poke Bowl oers customers the oppor- tunity to create their own poke bowl as well as signature bowl options. During a ve-step process, customers can select their own base, protein, sauce, vegetables and toppings. With sauces made in house, Sou said customer favorites include the house spicy sauce, spicy mayo and teriyaki sauce. The eatery also serves Cajun dishes, including fried shrimp, oysters, etouee and a variety of po’boy sandwiches. In addition, Ohana Poke Bowl oers musubi, an appetizer consisting of sweet and salty glazed Spam on a layer of white rice wrapped with a roasted nori sheet. Ohana Poke Bow also boasts an extensive boba milk tea menu with 20 avors, coees including the Viet ice coee, smoothies and sparkling waters.
Customers can build their own bowl or sushi burrito at Ohana Poke Bowl.
food,” Uy said. The backstory
The Etouee combo ($18.99) includes shrimp, sh and craw sh.
With the intention of opening a family restau- rant, Sou and Uy moved to the Spring Cypress area and opened Ohana Poke Bowl in March 2024. With several years of experience working at sushi restaurants, Sou prevailed and held on to her restaurant aspirations. As rst-time restaurant owners, Uy said they faced several challenges, but the community welcomed them with open arms and oered their input to make their opening transition smoother. “The community has been very supportive of us, and they are grateful that we opened a poke
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9803 Spring Cypress Road, Ste. 700, Houston Facebook: Ohana Poke Bowl
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