One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
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.
Portland's Pok Pok Chef Eyes Los Angeles For His Next Restaurant [Updated]
After expanding from Portland to New York City, Pok Pok's chef Andy Ricker is setting his sights on possibly opening up shop in Los Angeles next.
Ricker told Eater that he's considering a new Pok Pok location either in our City of Angels or in Hawaii. (Pick us, pick us!) He said Los Angeles was "high on his list" and if he did open here, it would be in Chinatown. His other option would be in Honolulu's Chinatown.
Known for his casual Thai street food (think fish sauce-glazed chicken wings and lemongrass-flavored roasted game hen that haunt you long after you've eaten them) Ricker has been slowly been building his restaurant empire. Oh, and he's also a James Beard award-winner in 2011 for best chef in the Northwest—NBD.
If you take a look at any of his menus at his Portland or NYC establishments, you can see that he's also a lover of whiskey as he has an extensive drinks menu. There are also his Whiskey Soda Lounge locations that celebrate Thai-inspired cocktails among other beers and drinks.
Ricker stopped by in L.A. last September for our first Thai Food Festival, where he cooked alongside some of our best Thai purveyors like Night + Market, Jitlada and Lukshon. We're crossing our fingers that L.A.'s next on his radar, and we'll happily stand in long lines—just like at his other establishments—to get a taste of those fish sauce wings.
Update 9/9/14, 4:00 p.m.: A "strong inside source" comfirmed to Eater LA today that Ricker is bringing Pok Pok to Chinatown's Mandarin Plaza.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
