Pok Pok - Portland, Oregon

Pok Pok

I don't know what I did to deserve this meal but I'm glad I prayed to whatever deity that delivered Pok Pok to Portlanders. I approached the hostess and she informed me it was going to be a 40 min wait and normally I would be too annoyed to wait but I could see the masses of people clamoring around for a table and the people behind me that quickly queued as I was making my decision and I knew I had to wait. 50 minutes passed (with help from the D Street Noshery) and we were seated on the patio outside. I AM SALIVATING as I recall this meal! If someone held a gun to my head and told me I had only 1 dish to eat before I died I would choose Ike's Vietnamese Spicy Fish Sauce Wings from Pok Pok's hands down. I think I could have Elvis'd on those wings. Everything from Pok Pok's was great, even the water! It's soaked in rice overnight and it just cleanses the palate perfectly before every bite. We also had the Hoi Thawt (crepe with mussels), Muu Paa Kham Waan (boar meat grilled over charcoal), Papaya Pok Pok (papaya salad which spicy!), roasted red peanuts, jasmine rice (served in the traditional boxes) and Khanom Jiin Sao Naam (noodles in curry sauce). Dessert was also interesting with the most notable being a deep fried donut with Vietnamese coffee sauce called Pok Pok Affogato. Every dish was FLAVORFUL and unforgettable. It is not for the faint of spice and if you don't like spicy food, then you were just unfortunately not blessed to have a taste for spicy foods. If you have any food sense in you, you will go to Pok Pok's if you are ever in Portland! A must eat!