Even Cafe Boulud Is Serving Poke Now

It’s the trend that stormed its way into New York in 2016, coming in as heir to the throne of ramen burgers, cupcakes, and milkshakes topped with literal slices of cake. It’s raw fish, chopped up, and topped with stuff. It’s poke, and it’s so damn persistent that even esteemed chef Daniel Boulud cannot escape its steely grip on New York’s dining scene. The Michelin-starred chef now serves yellowfin tuna poke at Cafe Boulud — an upscale French restaurant that’s better known for forward thinking than trend following. Apparently the nearly 20-year-old Upper East Side cafe couldn’t avoid this round of faddy foods and currently offers the dish with sweet potato, orange sesame seeds, and taro root as an option on the lunch prix fixe menu.

But look: Maybe this is what Upper East Siders need. Maybe you would feel tacky waiting in line at a fast casual poke spot if you’re — oh, I don’t know — wearing jewelry that costs more than most people’s rent, or something. And maybe you still want to try the latest food trends despite this feeling. Dorothy from your barre class couldn’t possibly give you side eye if you got poke from Daniel Boulud, right? So it makes sense, maybe. Anyway, the lunch prix fixe costs $39 for two courses and $45 for three, if you're into it.

Photo by Robert Sietsema