My husband and I have been on a search for good Thai food for some time now. I miss my favorite little restaurant in downtown Vancouver, Tiger's Garden, and have had more misses than hits lately when trying Thai food near where we live now. Tiger's Garden has some AMAZING curry dishes, my favorite! Anyway, Pok Pok had been recommended by a handful of friends, mainly raving about their Fish Sauce wings. An evening opened up and we took along with us four other friends (Note: You cannot make a reservation without six people!).
FYI: All you Food Network junkies, this is also a 'Triple D' (Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives) PDX spot.
The atmosphere of Pok Pok when looking at it from the street is fairly unusual as it is seemingly a converted home surrounded by tents and absolutely NO waiting area in the restaurant. This said, they also own the Whiskey Soda Lounge across the street, which has now been designated as the waiting/pre-funk area for those with long waits (which there are.. very long waits). Our pre-funk cocktails were less than impressive in my opinion. I had their drink Butterscotch, which was AWFUL. The other cocktails (Southside and Umeshu Cooler) were a better hit, although again, not blowing my socks off.
The communication between the Lounge and Pok Pok was just as they said. They were good on their word and as soon as our table opened up at Pok Pok we moved our party to the private upstairs eating area reserved only for those who make reservations. You'd think this would be a great choice, but WOW was it loud. I felt like we were shouting for a good portion of our meal not to mention it is also incredibly tight quarters. My husband is a very tall man and he looked pretty uncomfortable when trying to find a spot. In the end, we had to sit across from each other just so that he could sit comfortably.
We ordered several dishes; however. these are the ones that stand out. The Ike's Fish Sauce Wings (Spicy) were really good! Great flavor.
The other item that the table enjoyed was the Kaeng Hung Leh, a curried pork belly and pork shoulder. Yumm!
The overall feeling about the food was that while the food was flavorful and fun to try, the portion sizes were small given the prices.
Cost: Fairly expensive given the portions (more like tapas). Average cost per plate is $9-$14.
Menu: Nice sized menu with a wide range of options from various Southeast Asian cultures.
Food: There are some very delicious items on the menu, though some items were either overly seasoned or just unimpressive for all the hype. I would rate it a 3/5 overall when considering the six dishes we ordered and the various feedback from our friends.
Service: The waiter was very thoughtful when explaining the various entrees and making suggestions for what rice is most appropriate for what dish. I enjoyed hearing about the culture the food came from and how to properly eat it (whether adding lettuce, coconut rice, etc). The wait stinks, but the option to hang at the Whiskey Soda Lounge is nice. Unfortunately, that place is usually busy as well. Know about it and be prepared.
Ice cream is one of those things that has always been a part of my life and diet. My dad likes to tease me that my first job aspiration was to become a Ben and Jerry's ice cream taste tester. Yes, that's me! The devoted dessert freak with ice cream at the top of the list.
Ice Cream Renaissance has been a favorite of mine for many years. I spent my high school and undergraduate years in Vancouver, Washington. If you know the area, you know that notable restaurants aren't plentiful, but we definitely have gems (ahem, peruse Blind Onion post). Tucked away in Vancouver's 'downtown' area is a fantastic homemade ice cream shop with a flair for the artistic. The Vancouver School for Arts and Academics (VSAA) is just up the street and from its inception, this restaurant/cafe has displayed local art from the kids and from other local artists as well. It has switched owners over the years, but the ice cream is still amazing.
Everything is handmade and their menu and presentation is as artistic as their covered walls. I took my friend Mandy there a few months back. The menu is kind of hefty and she was feeling overwhelmed. I suggested she get 'Wavering Indecision', one of my sister's favorite things to order when we were teens. You essentially tell them what you absolutely loathe and love on an ice cream dish and give them free reign to dish up something spectacular. She took my advice and received this!
Dinosaur anyone? :) This still cracks me up. They put her three requested flavors in the mix and added cookies for arms, spikes (broken graham I believe), candied eyes and gummy bear missing an arm LOL!
Anyway, check them out!!
Cost: Reasonably priced for homemade ice cream. Prices range from a $2.60 single scoop to a $11.99 slice of pie a la mode. Mmm
Menu: It's fairly hefty, but all favorites make an appearance.
Food: Flavors are seasonal with the exception of 'Classics' that are around year-round. I'd give it a 4/5.
Service: This isn't a big place, but I've never had to wait long for a seat. Some outdoor seating during the warmer months. Serving staff are friendly and capable.
