Woky Ko, Wapping Wharf, Bristol: restaurant review

Who’s cooking

You might recognise Woky Ko’s creator and head chef, Larkin Cen: he made it to the final of MasterChef in 2013. After his success on the show, Larkin quit his job as a solicitor to start his own foodie business. Following his first venture (Hokkei, a takeaway delivery service), Larkin began working at the five-star Celtic Manor Resort in Wales. He took time to refine the ideas that Hokkei was originally based on, and Woky Ko was born.

What's cooking

Plates arrive as and when they’re ready – swiftly, and in quick succession. Larkin pops out from behind the pass to have a chat, and talk us through the menu. He tells us how, after MasterChef, he felt there was an expectation that fine-dining should be his next move. But that wasn’t what excited him: having grown up in a Chinese takeaway in Wales, and fallen in love with the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong’s eateries, Larkin wanted to create food that was more personal to him. So the dishes at Woky Ko offer everything street food stands for: they’re fast, flavoursome and accessible, and are made with obvious care too. Plus, the whole menu is pleasingly healthy - there’s no MSG, and all ingredients are responsibly sourced.

What’s the room like/atmosphere

The space seems impossibly small from the outside – more cupboard than restaurant. But it still manages to feel cosy and companionable. Due to the unusual size of the place, all the wooden, minimalist furniture is bespoke. The open kitchen takes up a third of Woky Ko’s space, which leaves room for around 20 covers.

It’s easy to forget that the open kitchen is right beside us, impressively quiet as it is. Instead, we relax to ephemeral, electronic indie tunes as we admire the custom woodwork and the pretty parasols that cover the ceiling. The just-right lighting, friendly buzz and intimate surrounds make this spot perfect for a date night.

Menu must-orders and misfires

Larkin’s been bold, and opted to feature just one pudding on his menu. Lucky, then, that it’s a corker. The salted caramel ice cream bao is tiny but mighty: the warm, deep-fried bun is sugar-topped, donut-like, and stuffed with coconut ice cream and rich salted caramel. The melting ice cream and sticky sauce make for a fun, and very messy, mouthful.

Other stand-out dishes include the crispy duck rice noodle salad, where vibrant orange zings through the rich, decadently fatty meat. Seabass tartare is a dish of delicious contrasts, too. Cut fresh from the bone, the sushi-grade fish is gently infused with citrus flavour, thanks to a lime marinade. The soft slips taste even more tender alongside chilli and crunchy daikon slivers.

The verdict

The kooky space, the soul-warming menu, the charming proprietor and staff: it may be small, but Woky Ko sure is perfectly formed. We reckon the central, harbourside location and reasonable prices will make it easy to become a regular here (sharing plates average around a fiver and baos are around £4, while noodle and rice bowls are between £7.95 - £9.95).

Woky Ko, Unit 7,

CARGO,

Wapping Wharf,

Gaol Ferry Steps,

Bristol BS16WP

www.woky.co

Words by Rosie Sharratt

November 2016