Pok Pok

I was a bit skeptical when one of my friends suggested going to Pok Pok for their birthday lunch. I had previously visited the Thai restaurant when it first opened and left sorely disappointed. However, I was pleased to learn that, after a year, Pok Pok had really picked up its game.

The menu had been updated and the selection really seemed to be different from your average restaurant. 

Stir-fry Crispy Pork Belly with Thai Basil - $16.00

The first dish to arrive was the stir fried pork belly which was served in a delicious light soy and chili sauce. The fat had rendered nicely and melted in the mouth.

Massamun Curry with Goat - $20.00

The Massamun Curry had a nice earthy flavour to it and had obviously been cooking for so long that all the spices had penetrated into the goat and made it super tender. The shallots were sweet and the potato was floury and thickened the soup. It was a great introduction to Massamun Curry for me!

Caramelized Pork Belly - $10.00

The Caramelized Pork Belly is a sweet and sticky variation of the pork belly dish from before, served with crispy shallots and cucumber. Because of its hard sugary shell, the pork belly was a bit hard to cut into but it was totally worth the effort.

Silk Tofu - $14.00

My favourite of the dishes had to be the Silk Tofu. The smooth tofu sat in a clean, light broth of ginger, coriander, chili, soy and sesame. Everything was in perfect balance. I could have had another bowl of this. Pure bliss.

We have been here for a couple of work lunches now and Pok Pok really caters quite well to large groups, even allowing us to order ahead. I am really glad that my friend made me come back again because, otherwise, I would have missed out on a real gem.

Pok Pok is located at 261 Karangahape Rd, Auckland