Pochana Thai Kitchen

"After the mid-March shutdown, things had been going well at Suwanna Tangchitsumran’s Thai restaurant Pochana in Queens, New York. Takeout orders were up; they were able to maintain nearly the same number of staff as before; employees trusted each other to limit potential exposure to the novel coronavirus (Tangchitsumran even personally drove workers between Elmhurst, where most of them live, and the restaurant in Astoria, so that they didn’t have to commute on the subway). But Tangchitsumran was starting to have trouble with her suppliers, according to her daughter, Natt Garunrangseewong (a journalist at Eater’s sister site The Verge). Pochana’s regular suppliers were closing or running out of supplies quickly, meaning that Tangchitsumran had to bounce from one limited supplier to the next, while also picking up and dropping off the staff, and while handling the takeout boom. Now, a month later, Pochana has newly reopened for takeout and delivery, with a pared-down menu based on which supplies the family is able to source." - Jenny G. Zhang

"Thai comfort classics and family recipes are the focus of this charming, family-run outfit in Astoria. Plump veggie dumplings, garlic-pepper squid legs, and Uncle New’s Crab Curry, a yellow coconut curry, are recommended. According to their website, Pochana is donating medical supplies to independent clinics in Queens serving at-risk immigrant communities—donate directly to their efforts via Paypal. Call the restaurant to place takeout orders; delivery is available via Grubhub, Seamless, Caviar, and Postmates." - Dan Q. Dao