Wokooshii, The Trafford Centre

Going down to Hampshire on a Friday night to see my family can mean a knackering car journey and a greasy bite to eat at Warwick Services on the M40.

Not last weekend though as Hannah and I planned ahead to ensure we were well fed for our long trek 'darn sarf'.  An early stop off at The Trafford Centre afforded us a wide range of places to munch but as usual we were stuck for which restaurant to choose.

Strolling around the food court we noticed Wokooshii, a Korean/Japanese place that wasn't there the last time we ventured into this shopping paradise.  The food that some of the customers were eating looked very interesting so we headed inside to try something new.

We agreed to share three starters between us so we could try a variety of dishes and then share our mains too.  If only the nations of the world could achieve this level of diplomacy!

Cucumber and Japanese Radish Maki:  
A fairly basic Sushi dish but was well presented with soy to dip in and ginger to cleanse the palate.  A good start to the meal.

Steamed Mandu Dumpling with Chicken and Sweetcorn:
Hannah loves Japanese Gyoza so was quick to order the similar Mandu dumplings that are a popular snack in Korea.  It is one of my favorite dishes from Asia and goes perfectly with the Soy Vinegar sauce drizzled over it.

Chicken Katsu and Sesame Uramaki with Teriyaki Sauce:
This is why I love food from the Far East; you try something new and it becomes an instant favourite.  I was very impressed with the presentation and freshness of the sushi we ordered but the distinct flavours of the uramaki stood out for me.

Bibimbap:
Hannah has seen a Korean family eating this dish when we were walking past and it was one of the main reasons we chose to eat at Wokooshii.  

Bibimbap is a signature dish of Korea with steamed rice served in a sizzling hot stone bowl and topped with carrots, kimchi, black wood mushrooms, bean sprouts, seasonal greens and a meat of your choice.

Opting for the chicken version of the dish, our waitress brought the hot stone bowl to our table with each raw ingredient separate. 
After cracking an egg on top, she proceeded to mix the dish together to create an egg fried rice style dish which allows the ingredients to cook freshly in front of you.

Chicken Katsu with Rice and Salad:
How boring I can be, always choosing my usual Katsu Curry!  I am really glad I did though as it was a perfect version of the well loved dish.  

I love stumbling on places like this, with no prior knowledge that they even existed, and then have an amazing meal that will see me excited to return.

The service was friendly and we were even treated to a story from our waitress about her cats that made us feel right at home.

If you are new to Japanese and Korean food then I would fully recommend you to go and try the food here as an exciting introduction into to cuisine of the Far East.