When I heard about the opening of Ali’i Fish Company, I wasn’t interested in visiting it. I heard that it was a poke restaurant and I felt LA was already oversaturated with poke establishments. Further, my favorite poke restaurant just so happened to be located near my house. Buzz about Ali’i Fish Company continued and so I decided to give it a try.
Ali’i Fish Company is located on Grand Ave. between Pacific Coast Highway and Main Street in El Segundo. It was long-time home to Mexican restaurant El Tarasco and most recently Beach Mex. I addition to indoor seating, they have a shaded outdoor patio in front. Fortunately, they have a dedicated parking lot behind the restaurant.
Ali’i Fish Company is set up as a fast-casual restaurant. Their menu is listed on the wall behind the register. Specials are listed on their small chalkboard on the north wall of the restaurant. It is easily missed because their main menu is on their east wall. Sodas and fruit drinks are in the front display case and on the wall-mounted shelf is a view of the beer and wine available.
Owner Shane Yoshimoto is an ambassador to Hawaii’s sustainable fish industry. He was previously a buyer at the Honolulu Fish Auction and he knows quality from this experience. In fact, it’s the only fresh tuna auction of its kind in the US. Fishing boats tie up and unload their catch just a few feet from this modern, state-of-the-art facility.
One of the most popular items on the menu is their signature Ahi Burger. It includes a thick grilled ahi filet with sprouts, tomato, cheddar cheese, and garlic aioli. Biting into the ahi tuna burger was a surprising experience. It was both moist and extremely tender. Fresh sprouts added a pleasant olfactory experience and some additional texture.
Their menu lists a few salads and they had a Crispy Salmon Salad advertised as one of their specials. Thin strips of crispy salmon skin are tossed with mixed greens with a choice of a vinaigrette or a sesame miso dressing. The taste of the sesame miso dressing was similar to a blending of tahini paste and white miso.
It was told to me that Ali’i Fish Company is a poke restaurant, I had to give their poke a try. Poke is served as a rice bowl with optional seaweed salad and fresh avocado. For their rice, they use Hinode Hapa Blend, a mix of Calrose enriched white rice and whole-grain brown rice that started in the Hawaiian Islands.
Biting into the ahi, I immediately detected both the quality and the freshness of the fish. Unlike other poke restaurants, it was actually marinated. The sweet and spicy sauce was quite tasty. The seaweed salad was slightly sweet which paired nicely with the poke. The hapa rice blend gave it a slightly nutty taste.
Even if you are not on a fixed income, all burgers are a whopping 40% off on Mondays. Taco Tuesday features fish tacos at $2 each. On Freaky Fridays, you can receive a free “Ahi Popcorn” with the purchase of two adult beverages. Smoky Saturday consists of a free smoked ahi dip and chips with the purchase of two adult beverages.
Unlike other fast-casual restaurants, Ali’i Fish Company does not use plastic utensils and paper plates. Instead, they supply steel cutlery and reusable plates. I like that they are environmentally conscious and doing their part in a quiet, but noticeable way.
Ali’i Fish Company is focused on a quality customer experience. I highly recommend a visit
Ali’i Fish Company, 409 E Grand Ave. El Segundo, CA 90245; 310.616.3484
aliifishco.com