Downtown, Buckman Since leaving the kitchen of Andy Ricker’s now-famous Northern Thai restaurant Pok Pok, chef Nong Poonsukwattana has hit paydirt with a concept that’s the highest ideal of what a Portland food cart can and should be. It all started with the titular poached chicken and rice dish that’s topped with a magical pickled ginger sauce you have to taste to believe. And although Nong has since been featured on Chopped -- as well as every relevant best-of list -- her ability to remain humble and keep things simple is a trait that all but guarantees success for her modest operation, which now includes stripped-down brick-and-mortar shops in Inner Southeast and Downtown.Where is it?

Nong’s Khao Man Gai is one of Portland’s most talked about food carts – the only dish offered, Khao Man Gai, is a classic Thai street food made of poached chicken and chicken-broth-steamed rice; though, locals will agree that there’s no need for anything else on the menu. It’s served with pungeon sauce, a fermented soy bean sauce, vegetables, cucumbers, cilantro, and a clear soup. For the adventurous, chicken livers are available as an addition.

Nong’s Khao Man Gai started as a food truck in 2003, and the local legend has since expanded to a couple of brick-and-mortar locations on both sides of the river. The counter-service Thai spot mainly serves their namesake dish: deceptively simple chicken rice that’s more than the sum of its parts. Stop in for a casual lunch featuring the now iconic Portland dish and make sure you order some chicken liver on the side if it’s available.

When Narumol Poonsukwattana – better known by her nickname, Nong – set up her cart in April 2009, she was looking to deliver the authentic Thai street dish khao man gai (boiled chicken and rice with a spicy sauce) at a good price, so that her most picky Thai customers would keep coming back for more ...

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Nong’s Khao Man Gai — Perhaps the most perfect lunch in the world, Nong’s essentially makes one dish—poached chicken and rice with soup—but words don’t really do it justice, though many have tried. Something magic happens here, the combination of taste and texture but also process and repetition; this restaurant started as a single food cart and has grown into sit-down locations that double as takeout hubs. The Ankeny location (609 SE Ankeny Street) is closest to the convention center, and the downtown location (417 SW 13th Ave.) is great if you’re staying near there, or visiting the famous Powell’s Books.

Nong Poonsukwattana arrived in Portland with just two suitcases and $70 to her name. Now she's the owner of one of the city's most beloved carts, thanks to an exuberant personality that makes you feel like you're right in her home kitchen and a deceptively simple Thai dish called Khao Man Gai ($8). Nong poaches chickens whole and lays slices over rice simmered in chicken broth and Thai herbs, garnished with cucumber, cilantro, and thai chiles, and served with a comforting chicken soup and a intensely flavored sauce of fermented soybeans, chilies, garlic, and ginger.

Unless you live under a rock, you’ve probably already heard of Nong, Portland’s food-cart queen, and creator of the best chicken and rice you can imagine, bundled old-school-style in butcher paper bound with a rubber band. Each packet holds perfect grains of rice simmered with great hunks of galangal root, poached chicken, a cilantro bouquet, and Nong’s addictive, nose-tingling sauce. Additional Nong’s outposts, including brick-and-mortars on SE Ankeny and on SW 13th Avenue, mean you can get your KMG fix in a variety of settings and on either side of the river.

After starting as a food cart in 2009, chef Nong Poonsukwattana built a mini empire around a single dish, khao man gai, a Thai street food specialty combining perfectly poached chicken and aromatic rice. You’re here for the KMG, though lately, I’ve been just as tempted by the nourishing winter melon soup (our family’s cold-weather staple), the sweet braised pork and the fresh Ota tofu in a creamy peanut sauce. Details: Nong’s Khao Man Gai serves lunch and dinner daily at 417 S.W.

Nong’s Khao Man Gai was based by a decided Bangkok immigrant with a mere $70 to her title. (Enjoyable reality: The eponymous Nong went on to win on Meals Community’s Chopped!) Starting as a meals cart, Nong later closed each carts to open brick and mortars in Downtown and Southeast Portland. Initially, the eatery solely served its namesake dish: a masterful plate of poached hen, jasmine rice simmered in hen inventory and an fragrant sauce with a vinegar kick.

Nong Poonsukwattana has one of those success stories that’s sure to make you smile. She left Bangkok in 2003 with two suitcases and $70 and opened Nong’s Khao Man Gaifood cart in her new hometown of Portland. She served just one thing: a perfected version of the humble dish that’s ubiquitous in Thailand, comprised of tender chicken, expertly seasoned rice, and a highly addictive sauce made with fermented soy beans, garlic, vinegar, ginger, and Thai chilies.

Nong’s Khao Man Gai was founded by a determined Bangkok immigrant with a mere $70 to her name. (Fun fact: The eponymous Nong went on to win Food Network’s “Chopped”!)Beginning as a food cart, Nong later closed both carts to open brick and mortars in Downtown and Southeast Portland. Originally, the eatery only served its namesake dish: a masterful plate of poached chicken, jasmine rice simmered in chicken stock and an aromatic sauce with a vinegar kick.

Famously moving from Bangkok with $70 in her pocket, Nong Poonsukwattana worked in Portland as a line chef at Pok Pok before setting up her own food cart "empire", which now extends to a bricks and mortar restaurant. And it all stems from sublime chicken and rice. The restaurant takes all it can from Bangkok – old signage, Thai music, simple wooden benches adorned with fresh flowers, and jars of minced garlic and chilli paste.

Khao man gai translates to "chicken and rice." In Thailand, many restaurants focus on one dish, honing it into a specialty. Nong’s Khao Man Gai follows the same concept and features the healthy and comforting dish which has been perfected with Nong's signature sauce. While maintaining a small menu, they have expanded their offerings to include other delicious dishes such as khao kha muu (pork and rice).

Khao Man Gai is one of my favorite Asian dishes, and it doesn’t get better than at Khao Man Gai. They poach organic chicken in chicken stock and Thai herbs and serve it with jasmine rice and a sauce made of ginger, garlic, Thai chilies, vinegar, and soy sauce. The chicken is juicy, the rice flavorful, and the light soup that comes with it is the perfect antidote to the Portland rain.

While many Thai restaurants offer an extensive menu, Nong’s Khao Man Gai takes a different approach. They focus on perfecting one dish: Khao Man Gai, a simple yet incredibly satisfying dish of poached chicken and rice cooked in chicken broth, served with a flavorful sauce. This approach has made Nong’s a Portland favorite and a must-try for anyone visiting Belmont Street.

From humble food cart beginnings to two brick and mortar shops, Chef Nong and Nong’s Khao Man Gai are a Portland success story. Nong’s signature dish is Khao Man Gai – a Thai take on the Hainanese dish of poached chicken served over rice with a side of soup. What makes this dish truly special is Nong’s signature sauce packed with aromatics of ginger and garlic.

Nong Poonsukwattana’s Nong’s Khao Man Gai has been a staple in the city for over a decade. Starting as a humble food cart in 2009, she went on to open her first brick-and-mortar in Southeast Portland a couple of years later, followed by a downtown location in 2018. It’s admittedly not the newest spot, but one well worth visiting—and mentioning on this list.

- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (223 reviews)- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.5/5), Value (4.5/5), Atmosphere (3.5/5)- Type of cuisine: Quick Bites, Fast Food- Price: $- Address: 609 SE Ankeny St Ste B, Portland, OR 97214-1210- Read more on Tripadvisor. You may also like:Cities with the fastest-growing home prices in the Portland, Oregon metro area

Nong the owner and chef is originally from Bangkok, Thailand and serves some of the best Thai food in Portland at his food cart. He serves just one dish, Khao Man Gai (Chicken and Rice), but has several variations of this dish like poached chicken, crispy chicken, vegetarian, and pork. The portions are generous and only cost around $11.

To quote the famous story, Nong came from Bangkok in 2003 with $70 and 2 suitcases. She saved to open a food cart and now has a brick-and-mortar location (if you haven’t been in a while, the space was enlarged and large windows were added in 2015). Her specialty is Khao Man Gai, a dish made of rice, chicken, and mild spices.

Owner Nong Poonsukwattana arrived from Thailand in 2003 with $70 in her pocket and is one of the best examples of fulfilling the American dream in Portland’s food scene. In 2009, she started the food cart Nong’s Khao Man Gai. It quickly became Portland’s favorite food cart and was named “Best Food Cart” in 2012.

To the untrained eye, mentioning a place that serves chicken and rice exclusively on a list of the best restaurants in Portland seems like a stretch. But, if you’ve ever indulged in traditional Khao Man Gai at Nong’s Khao Man Gai, you know that couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s just chicken, right?

Our first stop was Nong’s Khao Man Gai, which appeared in all our research. We visited the restaurant, instead of the food cart, out of convenience. Clearly Nong’s is famous for its Khao Man Gai, the Thai version of the popular Chinese Hainanese chicken.

With three locations now (two trucks and a new sit-down space), Nong’s has solidified itself as a local favorite. Their colorful food and even more colorful plates, would make any amateur food photographer want to snap a pic. View this post on Instagram

609 SE Ankeny Street, Suite CPortland, OR 97214(503) 740-2907. Nong’s Khao Man Gai is a buzzy, casual restaurant serving signature chicken and rice meals, and other Thai-inspired bites, with vegan and vegetarian options.

Nong Poon Sukwattana Narumol works in the style of a Bangkok vendor: staking her reputation on one dish. Her labor-intensive khao man gai (pronounced "kow mon guy") could bring a picky Thai grandma to her knees.

The food at Nong’s take me back to when I traveled in Thailand for 3 weeks and ate chicken and rice with broth nearly every single day. That being said, there are plenty of other vegetarian and vegan options.

I’ve just started going to the newly opened Oso Market as a way for me to get away from the bar for a nice glass of wine and some great simple food right in the neighborhood.

609 SE Ankeny St C, Portland, OR 97214Phone: 503-740-2907 Visit Website. View this post on Instagram. A post shared by Nong’s Khao Man Gai (@nongskhaomangai)

I’ve not been to the Nong’s popular Portland food truck but their stand-alone restaurant on SE Ankeny. I love Asian food, chicken, and rice….so yeah.

Nong's specializes in chicken and rice and a delicious signature sauce. A shining example of the “do just one thing right” school of cooking.