"Nong Poonsukwattana’s one-dish Thai counter — poached chicken, jasmine rice and a sauce worth the queue; go for a fast, perfect lunch."
About Nong's Khao Man Gai
Nong Poonsukwattana arrived in Portland from Bangkok in 2003 with two suitcases and $70, opened a single food cart in 2009, and built it into a city institution on exactly one plate: khao man gai, Thai poached chicken and rice. The brick-and-mortar counter at 417 SW 13th Avenue in the West End serves it from about $13 to $15, and the draw is the sauce — fermented soybean, ginger, garlic, Thai chili, vinegar. Poonsukwattana was a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef Northwest in 2018 and a Chopped champion.
The Kitchen
The kitchen runs on focus. Nong Poonsukwattana poaches organic chicken gently, slices it over jasmine rice simmered in the poaching stock with ginger and garlic, and adds cucumber, cilantro and a cup of clear chicken soup. The whole plate exists to carry one thing: the house sauce, a dark, fermented-soybean blend cut with ginger, garlic, vinegar and Thai chili that she bottles and sells across the Pacific Northwest. The signature khao man gai is the order — choose poached breast, thigh or a mix — and it lands at roughly $13 to $15. There is khao man tod (fried chicken) and a handful of specials, but the chicken and rice is the reason the line forms. Poonsukwattana’s 2018 James Beard semifinalist nod and her Chopped win confirm what regulars worked out years ago: this is a master cooking one dish to its limit.
The Room
This is a counter, not a dining room. You order at the till, carry a tray, and sit at a compact, brightly lit room with a short row of tables — turnover is quick and the energy is lunchtime brisk. Noise is low to moderate, the mood is unfussy, and nobody dresses up. Solo diners are the norm and never feel out of place; many seats are singles eating fast and well. It is built for speed and a clean, satisfying plate rather than lingering, so come hungry, eat, and free the table.
Best for a Solo or Fast Weekday Lunch
Come for a solo lunch or a quick weekday bite. Three reasons it works: the menu is essentially one decision so you are eating within minutes; the price — about $13 to $15 — makes it an everyday luxury rather than an event; and the counter format means a single diner with a book is the most natural customer in the room. Picture the midday line of downtown workers, students and chefs on their day off, all there for the same plate. See more of the city in our best Portland restaurants guide and the global list of great solo-dining rooms.
Not for
Not for a long, leisurely dinner or a big group celebration — it is a fast, near-single-dish lunch counter, not a place to settle in for the night.
Frequently Asked
What is Nong's Khao Man Gai known for?
One dish: khao man gai, Thai poached chicken over rice cooked in chicken stock, served with cucumber, cilantro, a cup of soup and Nong's famous fermented-soybean and ginger sauce. Chef Nong Poonsukwattana built the business on this single plate, first from a 2009 food cart and now from a downtown counter, and it remains the order. A plate runs about $13 to $15.
How much does Nong's Khao Man Gai cost?
The signature chicken and rice is roughly $13 to $15 per plate depending on whether you pick breast, thigh or mixed meat. It is counter-service and famously good value — one of the best inexpensive meals in Portland. Extras like the house sauce by the bottle and fried-chicken khao man tod are a few dollars more.
Who is the chef at Nong's Khao Man Gai?
Nong Poonsukwattana, who moved from Bangkok to Portland in 2003 and opened her first food cart in 2009. She was named a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef Northwest in 2018 and won an episode of Food Network's Chopped. She still drives the recipe and the sauce that made the restaurant famous.
Do I need a reservation at Nong's Khao Man Gai?
No. It is a walk-in counter, not a reservations restaurant. Lunch brings a line at the downtown location, but it moves fast because most people order the same plate. Arrive a little before or after the noon peak for the shortest wait. There is also a Southeast Portland location to spread the demand.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Nong's Khao Man Gai
Order & locations at khaomangai.com
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Practical Information
Address417 SW 13th Avenue, Portland, OR 97205
NeighbourhoodWest End / Downtown
CuisineThai · chicken and rice
SignatureKhao man gai (poached chicken & rice)
Average spend$13–$15 a plate
ChefNong Poonsukwattana
ReservationsWalk-in counter
RecognitionJames Beard semifinalist 2018
