Hongdae poke shop date lunch: tuna poke with avocado at Slow Cali

Why I picked poke for a weekend date lunch in Hongdae

I was out on a date near Hongdae over the weekend and had poke at Slow Cali Hongdae Entrance Station Branch (슬로우캘리 홍대입구역점) for lunch. I wanted a healthy meal for the first time in a while, so poke it was!

Normally I love eating tasty food, but when you're dieting, it matters to eat healthy and get enough protein rather than just eating as little as possible, right?! I'm too old for starvation diets now... so this time I chose poke, where you get plenty of fresh ingredients.

Where is Slow Cali Hongdae Entrance Station Branch?

The restaurant is at 9 Sinchon-ro, 1st floor, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. It's near Hongik Univ. Station, so it's a handy spot when you have plans in Hongdae or want lunch during a date.

I had tuna poke with extra avocado and chicken breast, and the portion was bigger than I expected. I left properly full! Hongdae has so many great restaurants, but sometimes you crave something clean yet filling instead of greasy food. If you're looking for a good poke place in Hongdae, Slow Cali is a good one..!

Inside and outside Slow Cali

Slow Cali sells poke, salads and bowls, so it suits a light meal. The menu works well if you're on a date in Hongdae and don't want anything too heavy, or if you watch your diet and meals regularly!

What I liked about poke in particular is that you can add the toppings you want and eat it your way. Even the same dish feels a little different depending on what you add, so it felt more satisfying, like a ray of light in the middle of a diet!

What's on the Slow Cali menu?

Slow Cali has not just poke but also salads and bowls. The signature poke options include salmon poke and tuna poke, and there are others to choose from by taste, like truffle mushroom poke and oriental tofu poke.

Besides poke, there are hearty options like the flank steak bowl and the black pepper chicken bowl, so even if a light meal feels a bit lacking, it's a good place when you want to eat healthy 👍🏻

Choosing extra poke toppings

What I personally liked at Slow Cali is that you can pick extra toppings! Poke is good in its basic form, but adding ingredients you love makes it even more generous, right? If you want more protein or have a favorite like avocado, you can combine them to your taste!!

Tuna poke with extra avocado and chicken breast: how was the portion?

This time I ordered tuna poke + extra avocado + extra chicken breast.

I had the Slow Cali tuna poke with avocado and chicken breast added. I wanted to eat a bit more filling than usual, and I wanted plenty of protein too.

The first thing I noticed when the poke came out was that the portion was bigger than I expected. The basic bowl is already generous, and with the extra toppings, one bowl was quite filling.

Tuna poke flavor and topping combo

The tuna was nice and mild, and adding avocado gave a soft texture that went well with it. Eating chicken breast with it too meant getting different kinds of protein, which I liked.

Above all, you eat vegetables and lots of ingredients at once, so the meal itself felt clean. It wasn't a diet meal where you just cut the amount and go hungry; you pick the ingredients you want and eat tasty, filling food, which made it more satisfying.

When you diet, you sometimes end up eating very restrictively, but adding ingredients you like like this could make managing your diet a bit more fun!

Americano on the side, and full until dinner

I had an americano with the poke at Slow Cali. Poke followed by a coffee makes it a perfect weekend lunch date course. Besides americano, the drinks include kombucha and more, so you can pair one by taste.

I stayed full for quite a long time after lunch. It wasn't a small meal that leaves you hungry soon, which made it more satisfying. I was actually still full by dinner time!

Of course, how full you feel depends on what you order and how much you normally eat, but if you want your poke a bit more filling like me, I recommend adding toppings.

Verdict: Slow Cali tuna poke for a Hongdae date lunch

If you want a healthy, filling lunch on a weekend date in Hongdae, Slow Cali Hongdae Entrance Station Branch is worth trying for poke. I had tuna poke with avocado and chicken breast added; the base portion is generous and you can add the toppings you want, so I was happy with it.

It suits times when, instead of just eating as little as possible on a diet, you want to get protein and vegetables evenly and still enjoy your food. After a solid lunch I stayed full until dinner, which made me even happier haha

Try tuna poke with your favorite toppings added, like me! It's fun to mix and match to your taste, and it sorted out a filling meal. Eating clean put me in a great mood too!! If you're looking for poke in Hongdae, a Hongdae lunch or a diet meal, give it a look 🤍