With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today during our fall member drive.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Photos: A Look At Chinatown's New Pok Pok Phat Thai
Andy Ricker's hotly anticipated Pok Pok Phat Thai opened on New Year's Eve in Chinatown's Far East Market, and just like his Portland and New York restaurants, there are long lines and even longer waits for your food.
The focus at the first of two of Ricker's Chinatown restaurants to open is, as you might have guessed by the name, on the Thai street food staple, pad thai. There are other hawker musts too, like hoi thawt (a crepe filled with mussels, egg, garlic, green onions, and bean sprouts), phat sii eew (a Chang Mai street food made of wide rice noodles, broccoli, pork, and soy sauce), and shrimp chips, as well as Pok Pok's ubiquitous and delicious drinking vinegar sodas. If you're after the famous Pok Pok wings or incredible khao soi, though, you'll have to wait until the opening of the full blown Pok Pok L.A. restaurant in the former Fu Ling space, slated to open later this year.
You'll want to add a variety of the condiments available to your pad thai before heading to your table outside; here, the dish is made in an intentionally basic style—that means you'll need to adorn with chilies, vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice to make it pop. And be sure to keep an eye out for the specials, which change regularly and often sell out quickly, like the muu khaprao khai dao—minced pork with basil and fried eggs with kicked up with plenty of garlic, chiles, fish sauce, soy sauce served on jasmine rice—a hit brought down from the Portland location to its new L.A. outpost.
Our group found ourselves huddled over the outdoor picnic tables decked out with Pok Pok's signature blue floral vinyl tablecloths for over 30 minutes waiting for our order, which is admittedly a long wait, but the restaurant is still getting it's bearings since they just opened this week. If you find yourself in a similar situation, there's plenty to do in the vicinity, like tchotchke shopping at the various Chinese shops in the center, or a stop by Scoops and Cognoscenti across the pathway for a pre pad thai treat. Dessert first is a universal language, after all.
Here's a look at what's on offer.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.

-
A tort claim obtained by LAist via a public records request alleges the Anaheim procurement department lacks basic contracting procedures and oversight.
-
Flauta, taquito, tacos dorados? Whatever they’re called, they’re golden, crispy and delicious.
-
If California redistricts, the conservative beach town that banned LGBTQ Pride flags on city property would get a gay, progressive Democrat in Congress.
-
Most survivors of January's fires face a massive gap in the money they need to rebuild, and funding to help is moving too slowly or nonexistent.
-
Kevin Lacy has an obsession with documenting California’s forgotten and decaying places.
-
Restaurants share resources in the food hall in West Adams as Los Angeles reckons with increasing restaurant closures.