Woon Kooc

Is there restaurant life outside Zona Uno? Yes, definitely. If you’re willing to take a little hike or sit on a micro for five to ten minutes you could discover WOON KOOC.

Woon Kooc is a three story pagoda in the middle of Xela that serves up delicious Chinese food. The restaurant itself calls into question where the heck in Guatemala it’s possible to find all the pagoda-y materials for construction, but somewhere (behind the Demo?) you can find faux-opulent Chinese building supplies.

The service and ambience alone is worth the visit. My party and I entered to Christmas carols and three waiters bickering about where we should sit. Our party of four got three menus, and were showed to three separate tables before finally finding a permanent place to eat. This is part of the charm of Woon Kooc’s; everyone who works there seems slightly confused, like they are playing the part of waiter in a movie and forgot all their lines.  The staff is impeccably dressed: Woon Kooc’s cornered the market on burgundy bow ties.

Appetizers are mixed bag: beef won tons (Q28) were tasty, especially with the picante that’s on the table. Egg rolls, going by the name of tacos chinos, are too greasy to be enjoyable (Q26). The soup is rumored to be outstanding.

The (enormous) entrees are (enormously) delicious. One plate of food is definitely enough to feed two to three people. Sweet and sour chicken (Q42) is the comfort food that you grew up on, and safe for even the most unadventurous eater.  It comes with about a pound of fried onions and a half pound of chicken. The lo meins and chop sueys (Q35-48) are also quite good.  In general, the beef is stringy and tough, but the chicken, shrimp and pork are all well prepared.

If you want to try all the meats in one dish, go with the special.  Woon Kooc’s throws beef, pork, chicken, shrimp and mushrooms together with your chow mein, lo mein, or anything other rice/noodle you can come up with.

GETTING THERE: Walk past the large church that looks like a cake behind Parque Bolivar and head towards the Cuesta Blanca.  You’ll recognize it because it’s the only three story pagoda in the city.  4 Calle 13-28, Zona 3