Woo Wol

Overview

The wave of omakase restaurants in Sydney is at full swell, with sophisticated set menu experiences available at the likes of Sokyo, TOKO, Besuto, Bay Nine and Senpai Ramen — to name a few. Following this trend, the team from Chippendale's lively Kensington Street fine diner Jung Sung opened their own omakase restaurant with a 'leave it to the chef' mentality.

The restaurant is called Woo Wol and it specialises in one cut of meat: wagyu beef.

If you're heading to Woo Wol for lunch, you'll be met with options such as barbecue sets, bento boxes and a selection of snacks ranging from fried dumplings to bibimbap. There's the wagyu or pork shabu shabu for $35pp, alongside the bbq sets ranging from $28pp-55pp.

The extensive range of bento boxes on offer include grilled mackerel ($21), soy or spicy chicken rib ($22), spicy squid or spicy baby octopus ($24) or sashimi ($28). And for something sweet, opt for the Korean ice cream in flavours like soft persimmon, five grains or pear. Or, for something more adventurous, opt for the nitrogen fruit ice flake bingsoo ($18).

Come dinner, you can keep it simple or go all-out at Woo Wol.

For a reliable crowd-pleasing option, go for the barbecue platter featuring wagyu, pork, chicken, seafood and vegetables in the main dining room or the al fresco area. The platter size varies depending on the size of your group, with prices ranging from $98 for one to two people to $248 for four or more. There's also a $70 'wagyu cake' on the dinner menu.

But if you want the full Woo Wol experience, you'll bypass all of this and head for the omakase kitchen.

Here, you'll be treated to a 15-course set menu for $250. The lavish dining experience kicks off with a delicate chawanmushi with spanner crab, sea urchin and salmon roe. From there, highlights include beef tartare with caviar, black truffle eel, an A5 wagyu cube roll and the Moreton Bay bug with apple sauerkraut and minari beure blanc. All that before you're given a palate cleanser and move into the centrepiece of your meal.

Your omakase experience builds towards the chef performance barbecue featuring a juicy parade of wagyu cuts.

Whether you opt for barbecue or omakase, you can pair your meal with a glass of Suntory premium draft beer ($11), a Korean wine — like the makgeoli fresh rice wine ($11) or the bokbunja raspberry wine ($21), or your choice from the soju and spirits menu which features premium picks like the $55 JinMaek Wheat Soju and Han Chung Korean Cheongju sake ($35).

Woo Wol is located at Shop 7/6 Central Park Avenue, Chippendale. It's open for lunch Thursday–Sunday and dinner Monday–Sunday.

Top image: Steven Woodburn