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I love a poke bowl. There is something about having an entire balanced meal in one bowl that makes life a little simpler. You can eat in, take it away, or while on the move – all with minimal mess!

Moana is located just outside the Grand Arcade and serves Hawaiian poke bowls. This is something I have never tried before, with my only experience being with Japanese ones. I was keen to see how they differ, especially since Hawaii is the spiritual home of the poke bowl and there isn’t anywhere else in Cambridge to get them.

I would call the interior decorating ‘tropical’ or ‘corporate Hawaiian’. It is colourful and floral, with a sharp looking wooden counter that is filled with dozens of ingredients on display. It is a surprisingly tranquil place.

Stepping in from the hustle and bustle of rush hour central Cambridge, I was met with a sudden calmful peace that you cannot find in most places. It felt like an escape where I could focus on my meal without disruption.

We were given a menu that gave us the ability to fully customise your poke bowl, in the same way you would a Subway sandwich. There is also a list of popular poke bowls from a list to choose from, making things simpler and quicker to order. Prices hover between £10.45-11.45, with the option to “go large” for an extra £2.

“Go large or go home” is my motto, so I went all in, with a large bowl. I was interested to see how big these would be. Could it fill someone my size?

We opted for the ‘Poke Classic Shrimp’ and the ‘Moana Beef Special’, along with a mochi dessert.

The ‘Poke Classic Shrimp’ comes with sushi rice, Hawaiian mayo, wakame, radish, edamame, red onions, beetroot, shrimps, sesame mix, masago and spring onions.

I was impressed at the size of the portion, with it being large enough to completely fill me up. I thoroughly enjoyed the colours and diversity of the ingredients within the bowl, with all sorts of goodies to be found. I was particularly fond of the generous number of prawns, which were covered in masago (fish egg). This added lots of little exciting pops in the bite but for those of you who don’t like fish eggs, don’t worry, as everything at Moana is fully customisable and can be taken out. The radish and onions really gave it a fresh crunchy texture and lots of much needed vegetables which make it feel much more refreshing (as well as healthy). There was a lot going on at once and it all really worked.

The Moana Beef Special was made from brown rice, Moana Alli soybean sprouts, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, red onions, marinated beef, cashew walnuts, and sesame mix.

My guest said this dish had a warm spicy glow with small chunks of tender beef that were just the right size for a mouthful. It was a big portion with lots going on visually and with the flavour being complex.

We finished off with some mochi, a type of Japanese rice cake dessert. It is served cold with a soft doughy texture and really hits the spot. This was the only dessert option available but was a perfect send off after such a big bowl of food.

Conclusion

Moana somehow manages to offer something different in an already diverse food scene in Cambridge.

It is delicious, while also being surprisingly healthy. I must have had 2-3 of my ‘5 a day’ in one bowl. The restaurant is small but a really pleasant and colourful place to spend your time. It feels like stepping through a magic door away from the chaos of Cambridge into a little Hawaiian bubble of peace. 

I would definitely go back!