Flavor of the Week: One Fish Two Fish

One Fish Two Fish is a new attraction on Main Street in Carrboro, serving a local twist on a classic Hawaiian dish: poke, pronounced poh-kay.

Co-owner Scott Kleczkowski described poke using a quote he once read: “sushi’s laid-back cousin.” One Fish Two Fish offers signature bowls of poke or a buffet-style option where you can make your own bowl and add ingredients such as ahi tuna, gochujang pork, coconut sticky rice, pineapples, edamame, avocado and more. However, unlike many restaurants, the servers delicately arrange the ingredients in a way that will please any picky Instagram-loving foodie.

“It’s so colorful and all the ingredients are so fresh,” said Lauren Kleczkowski, Scott’s wife and co-owner. “It’s like food for your eyes, and they say you eat with your eyes first. It’s pretty and it’s unique and it’s definitely something different than your traditional lunch.”

Even the most inexperienced poke eaters can customize their bowls however they like and still manage to create a delicious concoction. The Kleczkowskis expect many people may be new to poke, so they have assigned staff to manage the buffet-style line and offer recommendations on the best combinations for a poke bowl. Many of the ingredients on the menu are gluten-free, vegan or vegetarian.

“We work very hard on our signature bowls so that if you have never eaten this kind of food before, we can give you something that tastes delicious in every bite, like a little song in the bowl,” Scott Kleczkowski said.

The couple has lived in the area for 10 years. They decided Carrboro was a good place to introduce poke to the East Coast.

“I think people like to eat outside the box,” Scott Kleczkowski said, “and that’s one of my favorite things about Carrboro.”

The restaurant’s decor summons a tropical feeling of Hawaii: tan and blue walls, floral curtains and wooden tables, each adorned with fresh flowers. The outdoor patio seating allows diners to imagine they are soaking in a sunny Hawaii day while enjoying a poke bowl.

One Fish Two Fish works to provide top-notch ingredients. The fish they use never stays in the store for more than 24 hours, the canned fruit drinks are imported from Hawaii, and the snow cone flavors were each created by Scott, using only natural fruit juice, water, and sugar.

Though they have only been officially open since April, Lauren Kleczkowski said they have regulars. They have been pleased with the community response.

”That’s the best part about this I think, for both of us, is to sit back and see people be as excited about this concept and this restaurant as we are.”