Seolleung office takeout poke: wasabi steak & tomato soup, Hola Poke

Seolleung Station lunch: why I took Hola Poke's steak poke back to the office

For lunch I brought back a steak poke bowl with wasabi sauce and a side of spicy tomato soup from Hola Poke Seolleung Branch. I wanted something light and clean that still wasn't too much. I'd been eating nothing but meat and stews for lunch around Seolleung Station, so I felt like a fresh poke bowl for a change.

This time I picked the steak poke, one of the best-sellers, with wasabi sauce, and added the spicy tomato soup I'd been curious about as a side. The portion of meat was filling, and the kick of the wasabi sauce went better than I expected, so I happily cleaned the bowl. For anyone planning to take poke or salad away from Seolleung Station, here's an honest rundown of the packaging and the taste.

What are the atmosphere and seats like at Hola Poke Seolleung Branch?

Hola Poke Seolleung Branch is a bright shop with tables laid out well, from solo seats to group tables. Whether you eat alone or with several people, the layout felt tidy and comfortable.

You can really tell they put a lot of care into keeping the place clean.

How is the takeout packaging at Hola Poke Seolleung Branch?

You order at a kiosk and can get your food to go. I ordered takeout since I was heading straight back to eat.

The container material is sturdy, so the rice and vegetables stayed neat on the way to the office, with nothing squashed or spilled. I also liked that the sauce comes separately in a lidded container, so you can pour it on right before eating. It's perfect packaging for dropping in during the busy lunch rush and picking up with no wait.

How were the steak poke and the wasabi sauce?

The steak poke came topped with a fairly generous amount of steak with a light grilled aroma. Around the meat, lentils, chickpeas, corn, pineapple, red onion, mixed vegetables and grain rice filled the container with no gaps.

I poured all of the wasabi sauce over it and mixed it right down into the vegetables and rice at the bottom. The sharp, spicy wasabi aroma cut through the richness of the meat, so I never got tired of it, right up to the last spoonful.

The steak itself wasn't dry or tough and still had some juiciness, so it was great to chew, and eating it together with crunchy mixed vegetables and bursting corn kernels made for a wonderful texture combo.

Is the spicy tomato soup really spicy?

True to its name, the spicy tomato soup is a side that hits you with a sharp, spicy kick from the very first sip. I figured a warm broth would be nice instead of only cold salad, so I added it as a side.

When you think of tomato soup at a salad place, you usually imagine something smooth or sweet, but this one felt really different and fresh. A rich tomato flavor is followed by a surprisingly weighty heat that neatly cleared the oiliness of the meat from my mouth.

Eating cold poke can leave your stomach feeling a little empty, but taking a spoonful of the warm, spicy tomato soup now and then warmed me up and made the meal even more filling.

Recommended Seolleung Station takeout lunch: steak poke and tomato soup

The steak portion was solid and the sharp wasabi sauce really brought out the spice, so it was a lunch that made the trip to pick it up worthwhile. The spicy tomato soup, which matched better than I expected, was an unexpected treat too, and I was very satisfied.

If you're near Seolleung Station looking for a salad or poke that's clean and filling without being too heavy, I think the steak poke and spicy tomato soup combo at Hola Poke Seolleung Branch is worth trying.