OK Chicken and Khao Soi

OK Chicken and Khao Soi takes over the old Pok Pok space and makes it feel like a continuation rather than a replacement — Earl Ninsom's energy is all over it, from the Thai pop on the speakers to silverware stashed in repurposed Thai Pepsi boxes. The menu narrows to Northern Thai cooking, ordered dim sum-style off paper slips, and the kitchen uses that focus well.

The gai yang is the proof: smoky grilled chicken under a crust of crispy garlic and makwan pepper, served with two sauces built for dunking everything in sight, fries included. The nam prik ong, a pork and tomato chile dip with a jammy egg and pork rinds, is the kind of dish that stops conversation at the table. The khao soi that gives the place its name delivers what it promises — a spicy noodle soup rounded out by coconut milk, worth ordering even for a table of one.

The energy holds up in person: boozy slushies, a room that doesn't take itself too seriously, service that keeps pace. It has landed on multiple year-end recognition lists since opening, and the fuss is earned.