Openings etc It’s all change at Woky Ko on Queens Road
The Pasta Loco team are on a roll
MAMA MIA!
That clever bunch behind the ever-popular Pasta Loco have gone and done it again, opening their fourth restaurant to reams of praise. Bianchis opened in September and is, like its siblings, Italian in style but has an old-school twist. Tables are cloaked in white linen and held in place with the clips you only ever see when you’re on holiday; the menu is made up of antipasti, primi and secondi dishes; and a smartly bound drinks list contains vinos a-plenty. Having taken over the old Bell’s Diner site, the team at Bianchis know they have big boots to fill but are taking it in their stride. Head chef at this loveable new trattoria is Pegs Quinn (formerly of River Café), while the front of house hero Magda Pietrykowska is taking care of the slick and personable service, which the team is famous for. Try the inky bucatini with cuttlefish and vermouth ragu, and thank us later. bianchisrestaurant.co.uk
JING WHEN YOU’RE WINNING
Just over a year after its opening, Woky Ko: Kauto on Queens Road in Bristol has been relaunched with a new name and new concept. Woky Ko: Jing Xu is a Bristol incarnation of China’s siu lap dong-style restaurants, which are informal hangouts serving spit-roasted meats. As well as the rotisserie treats (think glazed duck and char siu pork), noodles are a key part of the offering, which also features small plates. Expect a faster pace here than before as the focus has shifted onto feeding diners top-quality Chinese food with quick turnarounds – ideal for those after a speedy meal with no time to waste. The vegan and veggie offering is solid, owner and former MasterChef contestant Larkin Cen tells us, and there is beer and wine on offer for those that do have time to hang around. wokyko.com
CURE SURE
New name, same great-quality food at the former Arts House Café
The well-known Arts House Café is no more. But, what is this? It’s been reincarnated as a new café and restaurant? Yep, that’s right; Caper and Cure is the new businesses in town, conceived by the Arts House owners Giles Coram and Craig Summers (front-of-house pro and chef respectively, who worked together at former Clifton outfit Wallfish). They took the business over 18 months ago and have decided now is the time to really put their own stamp on it. The food offering is similar in concept to what the Arts House knocked out – think great brunches and seasonal, refined small-plate dinners – with roasts served on Sundays. caperandcure.co.uk
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