Last Saturday I finally made my way to Pok Pok, Andy Ricker’s acclaimed Thai restaurant in Portland (now with locations in New York City, as well). Ricker won the James Beard Award for Excellence — Best Chef in the Northwest in 2011, and his flagship restaurant garners raves for its authentic dishes and extensive drinks menu (including drinking vinegars, exotic cocktails and broad selection of bourbons, scotches and whiskeys). Pok Pok led the way for the wealth of eateries which now call S.E. Division Street home, and there’s usually quite a line of diners waiting to try the food there. We arrived shortly after noon for lunch and got right in, sitting at one of the outdoor tables (sheltered within pavilion-like tents and warmed by heat lamps above).

Taking our cue from friends who’d dined here before, we started with an order of the Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings. Marinated in fish sauce and sugar, deep fried and then coated in carmelized fish sauce and garlic, these were sticky, sweet, garlicky and fully met our expectations. (A half dozen served the three of us perfectly.)

Settling on our entrées took a little longer. The menu offers vegetarian, seafood and meat options ranging from $11 to $15 (charging $2–3 extra for rice), and all come to the table in beautiful presentations. Our server was very helpful in describing dishes and offering suggestions. Daughter Jenny settled on the pork belly and pork shoulder curry (Kaeng Hang Leh), richly seasoned and the favorite of the table. My husband ordered the Khao Soi, a mild curry noodle soup with chicken. He’s very particular about getting his soup nice and hot, and Pok Pok did not disappoint. I eventually chose Muu Paa Kham Waan — thin slices of boar collar served with a finely diced blend of garlic, coriander root, lime and chili. Yes, those tiny flecks of red were some kind of REALLY HOT chili! Definitely a dish to clear the sinuses, and served with a side of raw mustard greens covered with crushed ice. (I should have taken that heap of ice as some kind of clue.) Taken in small doses, the sauce didn’t overwhelm the tastebuds too much, and the greens really did help tame the fire.

I was curious about the drinking vinegars but ended up sipping an iced hibiscus drink — a lovely bright red and very effective in soothing my chili-awakened mouth. Jenny opted for the Thai-style fresh-squeezed limeade and found it very refreshing.

With full tummies, we decided to pass on dessert, but the five options (around $7 each) all sounded tempting.

I’m happy to have finally sampled Pok Pok’s authentic take on Thai and Southeast Asian cuisine. If you’re looking for fusion food or Phat Thai, look elsewhere. But if you want some great food beautifully prepared, this is the place for you.

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor