Pok Pok, Portland’s Acclaimed Thai Restaurant, Popping Up In Chicago

Andy Ricker, the esteemed chef behind Portland, Ore.’s Pok Pok Thai restaurant is returning to Chicago for two pop-up dinners on Sept. 30. He’ll be joined by Land & Sea Department’s Paul McGee (Lost Lake, Chicago Athletic Association) who will mix cocktails that complement Ricker’s three-course dinner. Land & Sea is bringing Ricker and Pok Pok to the hospitality group’s East Garfield Park studio space, and tickets go on sale at noon on Friday.

Ricker will prepare Northern Thai—specifically Tai Yai—favorites from his restaurants in Oregon, Los Angeles and New York. McGee will pair fcocktails mixed with Pok Pok drinking vinegars and Letherbee gin. Frequent Land & Sea collaborator Marz Community Brewing will provide beer.

They'll have 60 tickets for each seating. Land & Sea provided a few menu highlights:

• Naam Pit: Naam phrik of grilled tomatoes, green chiles, green onions, peanuts served with herbs and crudité
• Khai Oop: Tai Yai boiled egg curry
• Kaeng Hang Leh: Pork belly and shoulder curry with tamarind and ginger

Tickets are $100 per person. Ricker will already schedule to be in Chicago next month as a speaker for Taste Talks. McGee will also participate. Ricker’s pop-ups are part of Land & Sea’s "From Good Stock" dinner series. They’ve previously made Chicagoans happy by organizing pop-ups with Franklin Barbecue from Austin, Texas.

Land & Sea's executive director Elana Green came up with Good Stock, and provided a statement about Ricker's involvement:

"Portland has been a long-time favorite destination, and Pok Pok in particular is such a dynamic explosion of flavor and color. We are thrilled Andy was interested in collaborating with us. It's exciting to venture into cuisines that we're new to, and we became quickly enamored with jelly beers and drinking vinegars."

For some background on Ricker, read this Tribune story, which compared him to Rick Bayless.