Overview
Four years after opening its doors, Merivale's American-themed Manly eatery Papi Chulo is set to close. In its place, the hospitality group will open its second Queen Chow — saying goodbye to smokehouse meats with a view, and hello to harbourside Cantonese feasts.
"We have had a lot of fun at Papi these past four years, but felt the time was right to evolve the space and its offering," said Merivale CEO Justin Hemmes. "Queen Chow has been a tremendous success in the inner west, so we're going to take the very best bits from there and create something really special for Manly."
Papi Chulo will shut up shop on April 29, with the East Esplanade space then undergoing a small refurbishment before reopening as Queen Chow in winter. Before it bids farewell, however, Papi Chulo is dedicating its last month to a "best of" menu of old favourites and classic dishes. Think pea guacamole, mushroom and spinach croquettes; roast cauliflower with romesco brown butter crumbs and parmesan; hot wings with comeback sauce; Papi Chulo burgers; and sweets such as chocolate chip and macadamia cookies, salted caramel brulee tarts and tres leches with grilled stone fruit.
When Queen Chow settles in, executive Chef Patrick Friesen and dumpling master Eric Koh will oversee the kitchen, with roast meats, live seafood and diverse dim sum on offer. Visitors to Enmore should know what to expect, aka delicious twists on traditional Hong Kong street fare such as salt and pepper cuttlefish, silken tofu and prawns with chilli bean mayo, whole roast duck with plum sauce, and typhoon shelter crab, which is deep fried and served with garlic, chilli, black bean and pulp from soybeans.
Find Papi Chulo at Manly Wharf, 22-23 East Esplanade, Manly until April 29 — and Queen Chow in the same space at a to-be-determined date.