Mr Ah Go was a Chinese market gardener on Tasman Street, Mount Cook, just up the road from our restaurant today. Ah’s gardens had a stream through them, providing access to water – an integral part of the livelihood to grow crops. In 1890, under pressure to source land for Western settlers, local council proposed culverting the stream and seizing Ah’s land for residential development . Instead, Ah proposed to divert the stream and move his gardening to one-side of the land, allowing Western settlers to occupy the other half with the two then to be living side-by-side. Council disagreed, forcing Ah from his gardens for a mere £3 compensation to commence culverting the stream for residential development. Within two years, Ah’s gardens were built upon and solely occupied by Western settlers. It is not known what then happened to Mr Go.

Mr Go’s is a nod to Ah himself, but moreover all he wanted – Western settlers and Chinese market gardeners thriving side by side. Mr Go’s is a restaurant take on this - we’re neither a Chinese restaurant, nor a Western one at that – we’re a harmonious in-between.

This is Mr Go’s – this is not Mr Go.