On our map. We haven't walked through the door yet — here's why it's on the list.
Thai grocery-counter opened in late 2017 on Rue Saint-Zotique by a trio — Jesse Massumi (ex-Voro, Waverly), Xavier Cloutier, a former engineer who switched careers, and chef Jesse Mulder, who trained in Thailand, including a stage at Bangkok's celebrated Nahm. The name, which means "chubby" in Thai, signals a "lan khao gang" concept — grocery store and curry counter combined, a format rarely found outside Thailand.
Curries rotate with the seasons, loaded with Thai eggplant, bamboo shoots and long beans; the pad kaprao — stir-fried pork and chilies with a fried egg — is the fiery must-order. Sister restaurant to Pichai.
Pumpui is on the Regulars map — spotted, not yet visited. Our guides are written on foot, door by door, and no one pays to appear: when we walk through the door, this note will become a portrait. No points. No coupons. Standing is earned.