Say Goodbye to Summer with a Poke Bowl and a Beach Movie

Hang ten with The Big Kahuna at Just Roll’d Up in East Liberty.
Justrolld4

PHOTOS BY KRISTY GRAVER

Autumn arrives on Monday, so I bid adieu to summer with The Big Kahuna.

Just Roll’d Up in East Liberty serves this colossal poke bowl of yellowfin tuna, king salmon, yellowtail, avocado, scallion, organic greens and seasoned rice. I added an obscene amount of wasabi mayo to mine and washed it down with a spicy Jackworth Ginger Beer — because what’s a beach party without a bonfire?

I have an appetite like the shark from “Jaws,” but if eating a pound of deconstructed sushi isn’t part of your diet plan, Lil’ Skipper lunch portions are available.

Just Roll’d Up Owner Robert Foster, a longtime employee of Muddy Waters Oyster Bar, moved into the neighboring South Highland Avenue storefront in May. After running the street sushi and poke business as a food truck for seven years, he wanted a permanent place to hang ten.

The mobile unit still ventures out on Sundays to area breweries, including Old Thunder in Blawnox, Verona’s Inner Groove and Grist House’s Millvale headquarters.

Having a brick-and-mortar allows Foster to expand his offerings to include more sushi bowls and burritos with ingredients sourced from Samuels Seafood Co. The menu also matches the surfing decor left behind by former tenant Kahuna Poke and Juice Bar.

The Big Kahuna, in addition to being a tasty vacation from the typical greasy fare, is also a character from one of my favorite movies,“Back to the Beach.”

Released in 1987, it stars ‘60s teen idol Frankie Avalon and original Mouseketeer Annette Funicello as caricatures of themselves. They have an onscreen son named Bobby who is sarcastic, perpetually clad in black and — me. Bobby is me. There are cameos by Pee-wee Herman, Dick Dale and the cast of the 1960s sitcom “Gilligan’s Island.”

I recommend you hold your own end-of-summer soiree by ordering poke bowls, pouring piña coladas and streaming this flick that stars a one-of-a-kind, Keystone State celebrity!

Justrolld

By age 10, Philadelphia-born Avalon was a trumpet virtuoso. In ‘59, his song “Venus” — a planet that was visible next to the waning moon this morning! — topped the charts. He has eight kids and more than 30 movie credits to his name, including “Grease”.

Justrolld3

In June, Avalon performed a matinee show at The Palace Theatre in Greensburg. The guy just turned 85, but was dancing and singing like he did back in his Teen Angel heyday.

In “Back to the Beach,” he downs a potent cocktail called The Stunned Mullet. I think this would make an excellent name for a Pittsburgh bar if anyone wants to ride that wave with me.

Categories: PGHeats