Pok Pok, the Thai roadside shack in southeast Portland, has grown a house. Specifically, it has expanded into the basement of owner Andy Ricker’s house, adjacent to the shack. (Thankfully, the shack is still operating.) The new restaurant is called the Whiskey Soda Lounge, and it serves an expanded menu, including one of my favorite dishes, waterfall beef (*neua nam tok*), a spicy and sour beef salad with herbs and rice powder.

The Whiskey’s beef salad is the best I’ve ever had. It’s an encyclopedia of Thai salad best practices, fully spicy and sour and loaded with fresh mint and cilantro. After you’ve eaten all of the tender grilled hanger steak, there’s plenty of dressing left behind for continued scavenging with sticky rice. (Laurie, Iris, and I each ate a whole sticky rice container.)

More information, including the full menu, at their web site.