The name either sounds like a bad ass kung fu movie or an obscure night club in Bangkok, but we’re happy to tell you this is one of the Asian cuisine gems in our capital you’ll want to add in your little black book.
With its eclectic interior -red walls, vintage furniture, kelims on the floor, butterflies in bell jars- it would be more probable that you’ve landed in a trendy Hongkong restaurant. Yet, WOO Bros is located near the Waterlooplein, not far from Amsterdam’s Chinatown.
It is settled here since a few years, and we did not have the chance to dine there until last week. A pleasant night out for us often includes fine Asian dining, which couldn’t have been more welcoming that evening to conclude a day of hard work and dreadful rainy weather. I came in soaked and the friendly hostess’ inviting smile and comforting words were an instant mood lifter. My table companion was already seated with a glass of red wine. I really like the idea that they took good care of her while she was waiting for me.
When it was time to take our orders, we just asked the staff to surprise us with a selection of their key dishes. It allows the chef to show off his skills, and it makes it easier for us not having to choose from a huge menu of which EVERYTHING on it sounds way too appealing. We would want to eat it all and that’s just not possible…
WOO Bros applies the shared dining concept, and these are the dishes we got served:
Balls of tuna tartar on fried rice
Soft shell crab roll
Thinly sliced sashimi of salmon with a lemon ginger vinaigrette
Gyoza’s
Cantonese roast duck on a pancake with plum sauce
BBQ’ed oysters with thai chili sauce
Sate Manis beef skewers
Sauted beef tenderloin in a black pepper/garlic sauce and Chinese broccoli served with steamed white rice
Rolls of sea bass with a mango sauce and spring onions
Lychee scroppino (lychee sorbet ice mixed with champagne) with red currants
Does that sound like a good meal or what?!
It’s even difficult to highlight a favorite from that list, but the dish that surprised me was BBQ’ed oyster. I have them either raw or steamed, but this preparation is very nice! It has more bite than a steamed oyster, though a similar texture, and a hint of smokiness to it.
We were also both unanimous about the scroppino. You could be a purist and believe an Italian classic has been messed up here, but taste it before you judge it. It is insanely good! A sweet/sour flavour bomb to get you started for the rest of the evening!
Our fellow foodies were already raving about WOO Bros, and we can only agree. Excellent food, a welcoming ambiance, and we’ll have to come back at least 3 times to taste the rest of the endless menu.
WOO bros
Jodenbreestraat 144
1011 NS Amsterdam
