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The Portland region was slow to catch on to the poke craze, but now it’s catching up, with a fourth poke restaurant in the works.

Tien Nguyen, owner of Crunchy Poke, which will be located at 426 Fore St. in the old East End Cupcakes spot, says in his application for a city license that the restaurant will be a fast food, “Chipotle-style” establishment serving poke, Japanese food, wine and beer. He hopes to open in September.

Poke (pronounced po-KAY) is a Hawaiian dish of cubed, marinated raw fish often served in bowls with vegetables and rice.

Jimmy Liang opened the Greater Portland area’s first poke restaurant, Big Fin Poke, a couple of years ago and now has locations in both Westbrook and South Portland. Poke Pop at 658 Congress is owned by Anusat Limsitong, the owner of Thai 9 Restaurant in Scarborough and a former sushi chef.

Many people tell Meredith Goad that she has the best job in Maine, and most of the time she agrees. Maine has a crazy appetite for food stories, and it’s Meredith’s job to satisfy those cravings...

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