Seattle's poke explosion has been a long time coming

A Hawaiian fish salad is taking Seattle by storm. It's called poke, and you can probably find it in your neighborhood, especially if you live in Capitol Hill.

Poke means "to cut" which explains why it consists typically of cubes of cut tuna (or another, typically, seafood item) with a variety of sauces and toppings to accompany it.

So why have so many poke restaurants opened in Seattle recently?

"The things we think come out of nowhere have often been brewing," food writer Angela Garbes said.

Hawaiian food in Seattle, Garbes said, has been around for a while. "We're a Pacific Rim city, so there's been a lot of immigration from Hawaii here."

She also points out that many of Hawaiian cuisine's mainstays are relatively heavy; for example loco moco, spam musubi and macaroni salad. But poke goes along with Seattle's embrace of healthy grain bowls and access to fresh, high quality seafood.

To find Seattle poke close to you, check out Eater's guide.