The newest hot spot in the city for hot wings is Pok Pok Wing on the Lower East Side.  It's located in a tiny basement on Rivington Street with exposed stone walls, tile floors and marble counters.  Space here is tight.  There is just one sharing table down the center, along with some counter space, and an open air kitchen where deep friers are in overdrive.

In those friers you will find Ikes Wings; chicken wings smothered in garlic, sugar and fish sauce.  They are salty, sweet and sticky and, yes, downright delicious.  If hot wings are what you crave, you can have them coated with cracked red pepper.  Each order arrives with a salad of lightly pickled carrots and cucumbers. A half order sells for $7.25; $12.49 for a full order.

The menu also features a spicy green papaya salad ($8.50) with tomatoes and long beans in a Thai chili-lime juice-tamarind sauce with dried shrimp and peanuts.  During our visit, the house special was a pork bun. It turned out to be a marinated pork chop (bone and all) served on a hard roll. 

You will also find Pok Pok "drinking vinegars" in flavors like honey, tamarind and pomegranate.  Thai-style coffee is also available hot or ice.

Pok Pok is funky, delicious and fun!