New staff writer Vivian Zhou went to Hula Poke, a new restaurant on Amsterdam Ave, and got some hot Cheetos in her poke bowl. No joke. Here’s her review of the place.

I went into Hula Poké expecting not much, but they soon proved me wrong. The restaurant is at 1028 Amsterdam, only a few steps away from Hungarian, Insomnia Cookies, and our beloved 1020. The sign outside emphasized UNLIMITED mix-ins… AND they also have sushi burritos.

The poké bowl itself starts off with two proteins from a choice of typical toppings like tuna and salmon, and more adventurous ones like eel, crab sticks, and boiled shrimp. I chose the salmon and also decided to try their eel. There is an extensive list of mix-ins, and you can add as many as you want. I decided to stick with typical poké toppings: edamame, cucumber, carrots, tomago (sweet egg roll), and seaweed salad. They recommended the classic house dressing, and I also added some sriracha aioli for a kick. However, what set this poké place apart from others was the “crunches” options at the end, which includes onion crisps, shredded seaweed, lotus chips, peanuts, and even HOT CHEETOS. A game changer. I got the lotus chips and, obviously, the hot Cheetos.

The total for the bowl only came out to be around $11 including tax, and that’s a really good deal for two different proteins AND unlimited mixins.

I have to say, I was extremely impressed with the flavors of the bowl. The sauce was the perfect balance of sweet and salty, the tomago was just the right texture, and the salmon melted in my mouth. The eel could’ve been a little less dry and more tender, but everything else was on point. Surprisingly, the hot Cheetos worked well with the bowl, adding that occasional crunch.

I will be trekking back down to Amsterdam very soon to try their other toppings. Authentic, it was not, but delicious it was. At this rate, 1028 Amsterdam is becoming a new favorite… after 1020 of course ;)