Restaurants / Reviews
Woky Ko – restaurant review
For anyone familiar with the television sensation that is Masterchef, there is a familiar face behind the stoves at Woky Ko, the last unit to open in Cargo at Wapping Wharf.
Former solicitor Larkin Cen reached the final of the BBC One programme in 2013, following which he quit the law and opened a Chinese takeaway in Cardiff. Following its closure he set up the eponymous Cen restaurant at the five-star Celtic Manor hotel and now has returned to more affordable food at Woky Ko.
Regardless of whether you’re a fan of television cookery shows or not, Woky Ko is a restaurant that stands alone regardless of the familiar face in chef’s whites shouting orders in two languages to his team.
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On a recent Saturday lunchtime, we were hooked as soon as tiny palate cleansers arrived at our table in one corner of the cosy 24-cover dining room with full-size versions of paper cocktail umbrellas hanging from the ceiling.
The cucumber and lime granita was zingy and sweet; and paved the way for the dishes that we had ordered appearing when they were ready from the open kitchen, not big enough to make ramen as Cen explained to one customer popping his head around the door, but currently offering a menu of sharing plates, baos and bowls of noodles or rice.
From the sharing plates, the edamame spring rolls (£4.45) were fresh and well-seasoned, and the salt and pepper squid (£5.95) were fat, juicy and served piping hot, perfect to dip into the mirin aioli.
The baos – filled Asian steamed buns all costing £3.95) – were like miniature fluffy pillows. The pick of the trio was the crispy duck with Peking sauce, cucumber and leeks; closely followed by the braised pork with hoi sin ketchup, apple coleslaw and toasted sesame seeds.
Keep a glass of water handy if you order the Korean fried chicken, which comes with a serious kick from the fiery kimchi.
It’s already a close community here among the traders at Cargo, and as Dominic from next door Corks pops in for a menu, our bowl arrives, the meat in the chicken Thai curry (£9.95) substituted for aubergine for the vegan at the table, and coming with Asian vegetables and steamed rice.
Polished off briskly as is almost everything here, it’s a taste of things to come with Woky Ko currently only offering a sample menu while settling in to their two converted shipping containers but already a restaurant serving simple food with a real sense of fun.
Woky Ko, Unit 7, Cargo, Gaol Ferry Steps, Wapping Wharf, Bristol, BS1 6WP
Read more: Ramen Ya – restaurant review