"The latest debut from the Ninsom empire (Eem, Phuket Cafe, Langbaan) introduces the Thai-Chinese cuisine you’ll find in Bangkok’s Chinatown—a.k.a. Yaowarat. The prices (and portions) are pure 2020s Portland, though. While you’re not going to sweat on plastic chairs while prawns are wok-fired in front of your eyes, a trip to this fun, casual spot in Montavilla is your chance to enjoy street food that doesn’t hold back the seasoning for American tastes. Skip the Singha in lieu of one of the fanciful cocktails that change up often, like the Terra Incognita which is built around yogurt soju and tart calamansi. Food Rundown photo credit: Brooke Fitts Chive Cakes Sure, chive cakes don’t generally sound all that compelling, but their little fried cubes of chopped alliums mixed into tapioca starch batter have a crisp exterior shell and a mochi-like chew for added intrigue. Dip them in the sweet black soy sauce and then watch them disappear within minutes. photo credit: Brooke Fitts Mapo Tofu This familiar dish reverses the typical proportions and leans more on the ground beef and pork than the silky tofu. Both get stir-fried in a fermented bean paste sauce amped with szechuan peppercorns for a saucy version that’s more spicy and mouth-numbing than anything you’ll find at your run-of-the-mill takeout joint. photo credit: Brooke Fitts Black Olive Shrimp Shrimp (photo above features pork) is sautéed with salty preserved Chinese black olives, Thai chiles, and shallots, then hit with lime for an exemplary taste of the type of cross-cultural dishes found in the back alleys of Yaowarat." - Krista Garcia
