Interview with Daniel Lee, Pokehana, Palm Desert

Hey, welcome to Reservations. I'm Jeff Harrison and behind the camera is my business partner Andrew McCauley. This is a show where we get to interview local restaurant owners and managers and find out what's making them tick and give you a little bit more insight onto what's going on. Today is exciting because we get to interview somebody who is in probably one of the hottest food trends in the country right now. It certainly was in 2018. Pokey. We're at poke Han is right now. We're going to go inside and we're going to talk to Daniel Lee, who has a really cool, interesting story as a background. No pressure on Daniel. So let's go in and let's talk to Daniel.

Hey, Daniel, welcome. Hi, Daniel. Take a few minutes and kind of tell our audience a little bit about Poke Hana and really your business and what it's all about.

So pokihana. We're kind of part of just a, kind of a blue trend, I guess in 2018, 2019 kind of poke is popping up everywhere. We're a fast, casual, quick service, pokey restaurant and we like to cut a good price point, figure out and try to bring the best value out of what you get for your money. But not in like a sit down, kind of fine dining, sushi sense, but kind of bring it down to a more economical dining experience.

I guess he's being too modest because this food. I was brought in by Andrew, who's come here with his family, whatnot. And I came in and at first is I realized, what exactly is it? We get to build these bowls. Right? Right. And they're amazing. Are they healthy for us?

Yeah. So one of the things that kind of set us apart from a lot of other fast casual concepts is that it's everything is everything's fresh. Everything's very healthy for you. You know, you're not getting like a burger or something or pizza or some other places. I'm surrounded by these concepts constantly, but it's kind of where we all get together and you get some choices. But we kind of occupy a little bit of healthier option of the market in that sense.

Now, you come from a little bit different background than most people who just start the restaurant for the first time. How did you decide on this food? Like, I'm looking across the street. I won't say the name of the pizza place. Like you said, you're surrounded by food even though it's not a food court. How did you come into Poke?

Well, for me, I always grew up watching my family being entrepreneurs and so they've always been business owners, they've always been running their own businesses.

We have another.

We have a different higher end sushi restaurant that's not working on. So that one, Okura is kind of our. That's kind of where we got everything, where my networks and everything came from through basically what my family has already established. And I kind of came into this thinking, I guess I had a little bit of that entrepreneurial, you know, drive too, that I've always been around my family. So seeing them do that, so it was easy for me to kind of think, okay, well maybe this is something I want to do too. Because we're already in the restaurant business and we kind of saw the trend too Poke becoming a thing. And when we did more research and we found out about it, it was kind of. Well, I mean, we have the sort of network established for it, so why not just try and make it happen?

Do you find, do you find that, that your, as you mentioned, occur. That's out in La Quinta. If you're not familiar with that, that's on the corner of Washington 111 right now. That location's been for how many years?

It's been there for 13 years now.

Time flies. It felt like, I mean, I love going there. It's fantastic.

See, I, I grew up around there, so it was kind of, I guess I just always had like a bit of a restaurant tour slash kind of zoom, I guess.

Mainstream, like mainstream.

Right. It runs through me or something. I love.

Do you ever find that the customers that come here are people who also go to Okura or vice versa?

Yes. So a lot of our customers that actually come through here, they, when I mention Okura, they, you know, they kind of look at me like, wait, like, you know about that place too. Like that's one of our go to restaurants and I'll say, oh, well, you might see me there sometime. You'll see a lot of familiar faces because, you know, it's all the same family. So.

But yeah, so we do get a lot of cross customer bases, so. But I think for anybody who is kind of into the more healthier diet, more healthier foods too. Isushi kind of goes in with that a little bit.

They frequent, I guess I get the same type of customers.

Yeah, but take us through the process. It's a little different. I mean, we, I think this, this kind of setup where we actually go through and order and then we get our food and have a nice place, sit down. This is a very comfortable environment, easy to get to. It's right here on. Just on the back side of El Paseo. Right. Give us an address, by the way, just in case you're not familiar with it.

So it's 73405 Highway 111.

I guess an easier way to put it would be everybody knows gossack building here. There's a lot of restaurants in this, on this side. But again, it's a palm desert on the backside of El Paso. So we're visible from the street on Palm Leather.

Well, take us through the process. If I walk in and I'm somebody that's going to eat at your restaurant. Take us through the process. What goes on here?

So I guess basically once they come in, you just kind of go down the line and you can either create your own type of bowl, whatever you see in front of you, or you can go with some of our kind of pre configured options we have just in case, you know, for beginners, they don't know exactly what they want.

I was a beginner, I did one of those preconceived bowls.

So. Yeah, so those are just kind of combinations that we put together that we think go well and that's a good place to start. It's broken down by like the different types of fish. So it's after you have one of those, you kind of get a sense of what you like in or not in your bowl because there's a lot of options. So it's a good way. Good way to start. Yeah.

And I'll tell you what, this, the. And don't change this. But the generosity in what we get for what we pay for. I think that the price value formula is definitely. It makes me feel like, hey, I'm not like going. You know, sometimes you go to those restaurants and it's like, brother's not there. I'm gonna have to take. I'm eat on the way home. Yeah, this is not that feeling. But again, it's a, it's a healthy form.

Right. It's kind of. It's a little difficult to kind of find the balance between, you know, how much value you're getting as a customer and what you're actually the quality of everything that you're receiving as well. For us, it's, you know, everything we make here and it's.

I don't know exactly how we figured the formula out, I guess, but it's. You're getting the kind of high quality ingredients and.

Dressings and other ingredients that we have here in a more casual setting as opposed to having to go to a sit down, somebody taking your order. And this is more of like, you can grab and go, essentially, but you're still getting the same kind of boost that you would in a sense, without all the level to sit down.

And we don't feel guilty for eating our lunch, right?

Yeah.

And we don't have that heavy. That heavy, like, oh, gosh, I shouldn't have eaten a whole pizza.

Yeah. One thing, one thing that I get a lot too is, you know, I got a large working crowd here around El Paso, so a lot of people will take it for lunch and take it to the work to finish it there. And what they like about it is that it doesn't drag their day long. Like get that heavy 3:00 clock afternoon, and then, you know, you start getting tired. It's just more, it's, it's lighter. So.

Well, Daniel, let's transition now. More of a business. A couple business questions.

Okay.

You don't just own this, this location, but you have another one with Quinton, Correct?

I have another one.

So what is as challenging as restaurants are? I mean, they're, I think in the industry, they're the hot, highest failure rate, the pressure of staffing and turnover and all that kind of stuff. What do you point to right now is, hey, what is your success? And even if you have to lean back on, you know, your family's Okura restaurant, what do you think is the key to that long term success?

I think the key is really knowing kind of your customer bases too, but also kind of coming up with a concept and a product. You know, when you start, start to imagine what you want to create, you really have to try to pay attention to some of the little details because in the end, it kind of, that's what sets you apart from a lot of other places and the time. And I guess the branding that it takes is very important.

I mean, it was nice for me to have the network already established as a. When it comes to finding my vendors or, you know, what, how to get into contact with who. But all of that kind of needs to be thought out and it's difficult to try and get your foot in the door. But once you do the research and meet with, it's a lot of back and forth meeting between people to establish your partnership with whoever.

Provide whatever for your business. Really, it's a lot of, a lot of working together and it's a grind.

I would say.

So, yeah, it's gotta be fun. Yeah.

So.

But it's just making sure that every day you're on top of what makes your concept successful, whatever you want it to be. So that's kind of. I don't know if I answered.

Absolutely. So let me ask you this. What would you say, out of all the challenges that you face, as you say it's a grind, what would you say is your number one challenge on a daily basis that you're having to overcome? And then you're saying, hey, this. I might have to stay on top.

Of the match, Right?

That's a good question. It's just you have to be kind of passionate about it, and I have to. You kind of have to really decide, like, hey, this is what I'm gonna do, and I want to be successful at it. So that's kind of. I think sometimes when people want to get into something, they're not exactly sure or they're not entirely committed or, you know, there's just. Well, people just burn out. Yeah. But it's really important to just really get in there, stick to.

Making everything you want it to be.

So you're talking about passion and balance. How do you deal with that? Balance, or you just, like, right now, I mean, let's face it, you're a.

Young man right now.

I'm not balancing. Just grinding. Right. You're building a business.

Right. Just hitting the dirt right now, and. Yeah. Just kind of running with it.

Did you see your family with Okura do similar things? And now, you know, that's what's going to take, you know, or no.

Yes and no. I mean, I think it was just me seeing the way that my family grew up. We came here from Korea initially when I was a kid. So, I mean, right when my parents and me got here, you know, we had to figure something out. So it was. I just. I kind of grew up with it, and I saw how much work that they put into it, and that's kind of what gave me a good understanding of what it might take and even for me to decide, you know, is that something I want to do? But, yeah, so that kind of gave me a good picture of what, you know, it could be.

Well, if you just join us, you're at reservations. I'm Jeff Harris. I'm here with Daniel Lee of Poquihanna. He has got two locations here in the desert, one here in Palm Desert and one in La Quita. If you haven't tried it, don't let the name or how it goes, don't let that intimidate you. Come in and try it. I think once you try it, you will Be hooked. I don't say that to everyone we interview, although we do enjoy the food that everyone we've spoken to serves. This is really neat because, again, I can walk out, Daniel, and feel guilt free and know that it's going to last me throughout the day and I'm going to have the energy I need to keep going. Before we go.

We'D like to. And this is. This is totally up to you. I'm catching Daniel off the cuff here. Daniel, we'd like to. If you. If you want to offer our viewers, people who watch this, if they see this and they come and mention, hey, I saw your show on reservations live, would you offer them any kind of special.

I think I would.

I'd like to listen up now.

So I'm trying to think of.

I kind of want to get a good sense of kind of how you guys work, too, and, you know, the community that you guys kind of built, I guess. And I want to see the interaction. It'd be kind of cool to have people come in that, you know, saw this, and it's just kind of cool in a way. I like the kind of community of things, and I want to. I want to see your crowd, I guess.

Let's do it. So let's make sure that when you come in to let Daniel or anyone working here say, hey, I came in because I saw the show and I saw the interview with Daniel on reservations on Facebook Live. And then at the point of contact, you're going to offer them something.

Yeah.

Yeah. Ooh. The surprise box.

You're the person who's done that, Daniel, so the surprise box. So we'll see what happens and get some feedback. Now, before we go, I want to make sure to thank our sponsor, Swing Point Media. They're a digital marketing agency that help restaurants just like Daniel's succeed in this digital world where over 80% of us do our business on that cell phone that you're watching us through right now. And so if you have any questions about that, please check them out. It's at swingpointmedia.com and they can help you with building a database, getting reoccurring customers. That's what Swing Point Media does. So I just want to thank them for our sponsor, Daniel, before we leave, any of the last words you'd like the people to see to say, hey, this is the one thing I'd like you to know about Pokihana and Daniel Lee to make a decision coming and visit.

One thing I'd like to say, I guess, is, well, I know I got a good product and I'm keeping to it. So I encourage everyone to kind of do the same, I guess. I love it.

Well, Daniel, thank you so much. Really appreciate it. Make sure to tune in, share this with other friends. And when you walk through the door, make sure you say, hey, I saw you on reservations, Facebook Live. What's my surprise? Thank you guys for joining us. See you again soon. Again on Reservations, where we interview local restaurant owners and or managers making a difference here in the Valley. And you get to go behind the scenes and find out a little bit more about it. Thanks again for joining us.