Soon, those living in Northwest Portland won’t have to cross the Willamette to satisfy Pok Pok fixes: Chef-owner Andy Ricker tells Eater he signed a lease to open a full-service Pok Pok in the old Bent Brick venue, at 1639 NW Marshall St. With a full liquor license and outdoor seating, the fifth local Pok Pok location will be similar in scope to the original Pok Pok on SE Division, says Ricker.

“Opening in the Northwest has been on my mind for some time,” says the James Beard-awarded chef. “I want to be able to serve our customers who live on the west side who can't face the idea of trekking to Division Street and finding a place to park and maybe waiting in line.”

Pok Pok NW could push into new territory. It will have a larger kitchen, for more labor-intensive dishes, and Ricker says special themed dinners are also on the table. The idea of focusing on different regions of Thailand is currently being discussed.

Pok Pok NW is currently slated to open spring 2017. Ricker says he expects it to serve dinner daily, with lunch on the weekends. He signed the lease with the venue’s owner, Scott Dolich, the chef-restaurateur behind Park Kitchen. Under Dolich’s lead, the Bent Brick gave rise to excellent chefs, including Holdfast’s Will Preisch, so many were surprised when it closed in July. Ricker and Dolich met back in the day while working together at Zefiro.