James Beard Award winning chef of the Northwest, Andy Ricker, has been doing well for himself. His Portland restaurant Pok Pok has been hailed for its “authentic” Thai food and that, by most standards, is a pretty good compliment for a white dude. I’ve heard the deafening buzz about Pok Pok, and being a Thai food aficionado after trying Thai cuisine for the first time in Bangkok, I’m always hard-pressed to find flavors that truly measure up to the motherland’s inspiration. Trust me; it’s not that easy. I schlepped myself to and fro in search of some non-farang Thai food in New York after my first return from Thailand, and Pam Real Thai—a hole in the wall in Hell’s Kitchen—is the closest I’ve come. So, when the opening of Pok Pok’s New York outpost was announced, my taste buds lit up in anticipation. Wings, no less. Thai wings. Oh my word.
Located in the former Baohaus space on the Lower East Side, Pok Pok Wing is a modest joint. One week after their grand opening, I found myself waiting for the “Nope” sign to change to “Open” at 4:50 PM on a Sunday afternoon.I was first in line, surrounded by walls covered in Thai record album covers. Fittingly, the music playing was traditional. Color photos of Ike's Wings, the headlining dish, the Papaya Pok Pok salad, and the Khao Man Som Tam—the aforementioned green papaya salad with the added bonus of sweet shredded pork— lined the exposed stone wall to my right. A small counter fronted a tiny kitchen full of staff furiously calling out orders and prepping the black, white, and cardboard take-out containers in which all plates were served. In the center of the space was a slim counter for eat-in customers.
Within seconds of the shop’s 5 PM opening, a line had formed behind me. The phone began to ring—incessantly—and the line quickly extended into the cold air on Rivington Street. Okay, I admit; I was impressed. But quickly, I hit a snag. The debit card machine was down. Exact change, cash only. With only twenties in my purse, I was turned away. “B-b-b-ut…” I began. No dice. “We’ll call you when we’re up and running again,” was Pok Pok Wing’s reply. Tastebuds in hand, I headed back to the less interesting dining scene in my home neighborhood of the Upper East Side. Pok Pok would elude me still.
But as quickly as things went downhill, they turned back around. My phone rang as I approached Houston Street. Debit was back up and running. Would I please come back? Man, this Ricker guy better live up to the hype, I thought to myself as I returned and re-ordered. A local Asian gentleman gushed to the staff about how happy he was that Pok Pok had opened in his ‘hood, as I watched crocks of sticky and coconut rice being pounded down, shredded pork being stewed, and vegetables being diced. Cash was handed over the counter at a furious pace and debit card numbers were transcribed over the relentless phone receiver. In the span of 15 minutes, I counted near 30 sales. When I heard my name called, my stomach lurched into action. I had spent the previous fifteen minutes watching others around me lick their sticky fingers of Phu Quoc fish sauce, while juicy meat hung from their lips. It was my turn for a taste. Finally.
Bottom line: Run; don’t walk to Pok Pok Wing. The flavors are as near authentic as I’ve tasted in a long time. Sweet caramelized fish sauce lathered on crispy, meaty wings with hints of garlic and sugar does the trick. In my fire-breathing opinion, the spicy wings are way more satisfying than the regular variety, but I love induced crying from heat in my food. Six hefty wings for $12.50 might feel expensive to some, but I thought the portion was ample, and worth the spend. For those that want to blow their mind on chilies, every order includes a spoonful of hot red chili paste. Atomic and wonderful, I used every last drop. The green papaya salad ($8.50) available vegetarian or with salted black crab (which spices things up for an extra $2.50) had such fresh flavor, I could close my eyes and pretend I was eating from a street cart on Khao San Road. I savored every last ingredient from the salty dried shrimp to the sour lime. Don’t forget a side order of sticky rice for lapping up the final drop of the salad’s juice. If you prefer meat, switch out the crab for sweet shredded pork (which includes the rice). In my case, a little fatty—but this is my only gripe.
Pok Pok Wing sells Som sodas—a nod to the chef’s backstory—and Stumptown coffee, a nod to his future. Brooklyn, brace yourself. Pok Pok Wing’s next outpost is set to open on Columbia Street in Stumptown’s own Red Hook in the very near future.
137 Rivington Street
Between Suffolk and Norfolk
212-477-1299
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