The New York Times has been there. Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, and Gourmet (may she rest in peace) have been there, too. And they all tossed around accolades like “Best Thai Restaurant in the United States.”

So with just one evening for dinner in Portland (on the first day of my “Hit the Road Hungry” road trip from Vancouver to Los Angeles), I figured that even if I was a little late to the party, I had to make a pilgrimage there as well.

“There” is Pok Pok, Portland’s highly praised Thai restaurant tucked away in the city’s southeast district. Fancy, it isn’t—the restaurant looks like a Chiang Mai night market stall writ large, with outdoor (and indoor) tables and a giant charcoal grill.

The whole Pok Pok experience is very sensual, starting with the fizzy “drinking vinegars,” their signature non-alcoholic drink. The tamarind variety I chose wasn’t as sour as I expected—more like a tangy, gently fruity seltzer. It provided a cooling counterpart to the spicy dishes to come.

At Pok Pok, you eat (mostly) with your hands, scooping little balls of sticky rice out of their cute wicker baskets. With the bartender’s guidance, I opted for the fiery wild mushroom salad and the charcoal-grilled “boar collar.” Accompanying the pork was a plate of fresh raw mustard greens, buried in ice—to keep them fresh, the waiter explained, recommending that you alternate bites of crisp greens with chili-fired meat. Both dishes were the perfect Thai mix of spicy, sour, and ever-so-slightly sweet.

If I came back to Pok Pok again—and I would in a heartbeat—I’d try to bring friends. Most dishes are designed to share, and as a solo diner, despite the excellent ordering suggestions that the bartender provided, it was difficult to create a fully balanced meal, with the proper Thai combinations of meat and vegetables, sweet and sour, bitter and hot. And of course, with more people, you can sample a lot more dishes.

Save me a bar stool, Pok Pok! I’ve got a car to deliver now, but one of these days, I’ll need to get my hands back on your sticky rice.

About the “Hit the Road Hungry” Road Trip
I’m doing a solo road trip from Vancouver to Los Angeles, working with a company called Hit The Road that pairs people who want to take road trips with people who need their cars moved. I’m delivering a forest green 1998 Honda Civic for its owners who are moving from British Columbia to southern California, and I’m eating my way down the west coast.

The previous posts in this series are When Plans for Pie Go Awry and Taco Craving. I hope you’ll follow along as I “Hit the Road Hungry!”

About WanderFood Wednesday
Every Wednesday, you can share a photo or post about own food adventures as part of the WanderFood Wednesday blog carnival. Here’s how:

1. Post a food photo on your site.


2. Add a brief description about the photo—or a longer food-focused post—and include a link to WanderFood Wednesday.


3. Add your blog name and post title to the “Mr. Linky” form below, with a link directly to your post (not to your main blog). That’s it!

If you go…
Pok Pok, at 3226 S.E. Division St., Portland, Oregon, 503-232-1387, is open daily 11:30am-10pm.

Tasty Travels!

Carolyn

Blue Bottle Coffee
The garage door goes up, and the line-ups begin at this “odd but convivial coffee kiosk” on tiny Linden Street. It’s not news to Bay Area coffee geeks that some of the city’s best coffee comes from this take-out-only java joint. Even the decaf – an afterthought at many cafes – is delicious. There’s no place to sit, but you can sip your brew while browsing the nearby boutiques.
315 Linden St., 7am-6pm Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm Saturday-Sunday.

Christopher Elbow Artisanal Chocolates
What’s even darker and richer than Blue Bottle’s excellent coffee? The “Liquid Chocolate” at this carefully crafted chocolate shop. Yes, the truffles are gorgeous, but their upscale take on hot chocolate, which you can choose with milk or water, and with several different flavors, is a serious hit of drinkable bittersweetness. I loved the mildly chili-scented “Venezuelan” version.
401 Hayes St., noon-7:30pm Tuesday-Saturday, noon-6pm Sunday-Monday.

Chantal Guillon Macarons
Now that we’re fully caffeinated, let’s stop for some sugar, shall we? I’ve been slow to hop on the macaron bandwagon, but these delicate creamy treats have changed my mind. The salted caramel is an intensely buttery, sugary, and slightly salty confection, while the chocolate is rich and delicate. Mmmm.
437A Hayes St., 11am-7pm Tuesday-Saturday, noon-6pm Sunday-Monday.

Have your own treats to share? Link to your blog post or leave a comment below.

Happy New Year, and Tasty Travels!

Carolyn

As much as I would love to be one of those people who can go on vacation and then sit around drinking fruity tropical alcohol-laced drinks, the truth is… I’m a lightweight. As a result, one drink usually makes me tired enough to want to take a nap. And who wants to sleep through their vacation? (OK, some people have no problem with that.)

While at the Honolulu Airport earlier this year, Jon and I popped in to the terribly overpriced bar during our layover to Kauai and noshed on some french fries and I on my Virgin Margarita. It was really like a super sweet fruit shake. But it didn’t put me to sleep and it definitely got me into the tropical mood that I enjoyed for the rest of the week.

Come back to join the WanderFood Wednesday meme!

Life’s Short, Eat Well!