Pok Pok’s Wings Return as a Delivery-Only Fundraiser Through the Ghost Kitchen Company Reef

Pok Pok Wings Hit Ghost Kitchens

Earlier this year, Fuku — David Chang’s fried chicken sandwich chain — started popping up on delivery apps throughout Portland, basically without announcement. Turns out, Fuku was exploring the idea of partnering with Reef Kitchen’s ghost kitchens, kitchens based in commissaries, food carts, and trailers that house a number of different delivery-app-based “restaurant concepts.” After a shaky response from the community, Fuku suspended its Portland expansion.

Now, another high-profile chef has partnered with Reef: Andy Ricker. The Pok Pok mogul has closed the majority of his businesses permanently, with the original locale temporarily closed, but he is bringing back the famous fish sauce wings he developed with longtime employee Ich “Ike” Truong through Reef’s ghost kitchens — Basically, Reef pays a licensing fee to serve dishes under that restaurant’s name, and learns the basics of how to make those dishes from the restaurant’s team. Reef purchased the frozen wings off Ricker; he plans to donate the proceeds from the wing’s sales to Immigrant Legal Resource Center. [PoMo]

Ruth Bader Ginsburg Remembered by a Willamette Valley Winemaker

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died on Friday, causing a wave of grief throughout the United States. Winemaker Ken Wright, known for his brand Ken Wright Cellars, remembered a visit from the justice in a recent Oregonian piece. “She was just getting into pinot noir, and she wanted to know why the Willamette Valley was so special,” he remembers. “Justice Ginsburg was an amazing, open person. We didn’t talk a lot about politics. We discussed wine and other mutual interests we enjoyed. She was definitely a thoughtful, critical thinker.”

In Other News...

• The Mississippi wine bar 45 North has changed its name to Stem Wine Bar [WWeek]
• Oregon’s wine industry continued to grow in 2019, with more acres planted, more wineries, and more wine case sales than the year before. [BizJo]
• Oregon-based pasta chain Pastini is donating proceeds from each meal served last week to the Red Cross Cascades Fire fund. They also donated meals of lasagna, salad, and sandwiches to the Lyons Fire Department for the Santiam Canyon firefighters. [EaterWire]