pok pok LA, chinatown.
portland's famous pok pok came to LA before i could get to portland, and i'm A-OK with that. and pok pok LA is most certainly part of the amazing chinatown resurgence that is happening right now.
ike's vietnamese fish sauce wings.
our meal was SO. GOOD. the wings were as delicious and sticky as i've heard about, though next time we'll definitely need to order them spicy. the pork curry was rich and sweet, and really lovely over an order of sticky rice.
sticky rice.
kaeng hang leh: northern thai sweet pork belly and shoulder curry with ginger, palm sugar, turmeric, tamarind, burmese curry powder, and pickled garlic.
hoi thawt: crispy broken crepe with steamed fresh mussels, eggs, garlic chives, bean sprouts, thai sri racha.
the highlights of our meal though, were the hoi thawt and yam tuna salad. the crispy crepe with mussels reminded me of all the best parts of a taiwanese oyster pancake - one of my favorite things ever. the mix of savory, crunch, brine and spice just really hit the spot. the tuna salad was the only thing we ordered that had any real spice to it. similar to the crepe though, the combination of textures and flavors really made it a standout.
yam tuna: thai-style tuna salad with ginger, garlic, thai chilies, green onions, lemongrass, tomatoes, fresh grilled albacore in a spicy lime and fish sauce dressing.
last but not least, the dessert was just fun. more thai influence than actual thai food, they were quite tasty. i am no connoisseur of thai food, but the food at pok pok still feels very approachable. the menu is quite extensive and contains many dishes i've never had before, so i am looking forward to returning and trying as much as possible.
hot butterscotch: spiced rum toddy with house made butterscotch, st. elizabeth allspice dram and cream.
pok pok affogato: condensed milk ice cream, vietnamese coffee shot, house made patangko (thai-style savory crullers).
978 N Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012
