Andy Ricker's Pok Pok Phat Thai Gets Pre-Opening Blessing From Buddhist Monks

Andy Ricker's been busy prepping his first Pok Pok space, which will be a Phat Thai concept serving mostly noodles in the Far East Plaza in Chinatown. Yesterday, monks from Wat Phra That Suthep in Chino Hills came over to the restaurant pre-opening and blessed the location.

In the Facebook post, Ricker also stated that the opening would happen some time before the end of the year, meaning that he converted a former banh cuon specialist into this more casual eatery in just a few months.

Ricker is also developing a full Pok Pok up the road at Mandarin Plaza, which will sport a full bar and restaurant over 7,000 square feet and two stories. Food Republic goes into some more detail about why Ricker chose Los Angeles to open his next places. The answer? The amazing Thai Costco known as LAX-C, which stocks everything from palm sugar to different grades of ground chilies.