Pok Pok – http://www.pokpokpdx.com/
Deviation – Aviation Gin, Maraschino Liqueur, Fresh Squeezed Lemon juice, Amarena cherry juice
Phat Si Ew – Wide Rice Noodles, Carlton Farms Pork, Chinese Broccoli, Egg, Black Soy Sauce
Coconut Rice and Sticky Rice
Kai Yaang – Charcoal Rotisserie Roasted Natural Game Hen stuffed with Lemongrass, garlic, Pepper, Cilantro and Tamarind Dipping Sauce / Papaya Pok Pok – Spicy Green Papaya Salad with Tomatoes, Long Beans, Thai Chili, Lime Juice, Tamarind, Fish Sauce, Garlic, Palm Sugar, Dried Shrimp
Ike’s Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings – Chicken wings in Fish Sauce and Palm sugar, deep fried, tossed in caramelized Phu Quoc Fish Sauce and Garlic
Muu Paa Kham Waan – Boar Collar Meat rubbed with garlic, coriander, black pepper, glazed with soy and sugar, grilled over charcoal, with chilled mustard greens
Coconut Ice Cream Sandwich – Coconut Jackfruit Ice Cream on a sweet bun with peanuts, sweet sticky rice, condensed milk, chocolate syrup
Undoubtedly Portland’s most nationally recognized restaurant – so big that it has spawned a bar across the street to accommodate the waiting crowd (not to mention an offshoot 2,000 miles away in Brooklyn) – Pok Pok was an obvious must visit on my trip to the city and meeting my wonderful host for lunch the day before I would depart for Seattle we were, of course, greeted by a wait as Chef Andy Ricker’s nearly 8 year old restaurant still manages to fill to capacity nearly ten hours a day, seven days a week, despite a menu that rarely changes save for the occasional seasonal specials.
Seated in the covered outdoor area as the small interior was entirely packed and greeted by a friendly young man who was incredibly patient with us as we chatted and perused the menu it would not be long before decisions were made and with the starchy vanilla Pandan tinged water followed by excellent coffee and a cocktail more sweet than boozy (and thus to my tastes) the food arrived without delay and, as with many Thai restaurants, all at once – though portions here were decidedly less than the mammoth plates of rice and noodles served elsewhere.
Sticking to the classics on my first visit and keeping the spice level modest perhaps what was most surprising to me about the cuisine at Pok Pok was the balance in each dish – the fabled fish sauce wings crunchy and sweet with a great garlic top note that necessitated the accompanying vegetables and sticky rice proving an excellent contrast to the light, crisp, and smoky Kai Yaang with its subtle lemongrass notes – two entirely different approaches to poultry, each successful in its own way and both worthy of ‘signature’ status.
Moving to more spicy options, the Phat Si Ew were served still sizzling with great char from the wok and lean, meaty bits of pork juxtaposing sautéed vegetables caramelized with the rich soy while the tender boar collar most certainly warrants the icy mustard greens for those with a lower spice tolerance (likewise for the Papaya Salad, should you encounter one of the areas hiding a whole chili seeds.)
Unable to resist dessert (though happy to pass on the Durian sticky rice) we chose to finish with the house specialty Coconut Ice Cream Sandwich and representing my first experience with a Thai dessert I came away quite impressed as the house made sweet bun, sweet milk, and rich chocolate syrup proved an excellent foil to the slightly toothsome nutty rice, smoky peanuts, and creamy but mild ice cream; a light way to cool the palate after a hefty, spicy meal deserving of its substantial acclaim.