Manly locals farewell Papi Chulo in the wake of her majesty Queen Chow’s arrival.
As for what to expect, Executive Chef Patrick Friesen and dumpling master Eric Koh are leading the charge, serving up a modern Cantonese menu of roast meats, live seafood and diverse dim sum.
“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 Justin Hemmes, CEO of Merivale. “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”.
Like the original Queen Chow, Friesen has taken inspiration from the tastes and aromas of Hong Kong’s famous dai pai dongs. At the new Manly addition though, what you’ll also find is a beachside sensibility with plenty of Australian seafood on offer.
Start with oysters with native finger lime, handmade wonton soup and BBQ Peking duck pancakes with cucumber, leek and hoisin. From here you’ll be able to sample the likes of mud crab, lobster and pippies, plus half shell scallops with XO vermicelli, garlic butter king prawns and black pepper Moreton Bay bugs.
Expertly crafting the beloved dim sum menu is Eric Koh, who’s regarded as one of the greatest dim sum masters in the world. Get ready to feast on his famous steamed, baked and fried dumplings, including scallop and prawn siu mai, prawn har gau, jade seafood, wild mushroom, pork xiao long bao and egg custard tarts.
As for the all important drinks list, Manly’s Queen Chow takes inspiration from the flavour of Friesen’s food and uses fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices found in the kitchen. Arrive to the wine list to find a relaxed and approachable offering, with a selection of over 200 classic, organic, biodynamic and premium wines from Australia and around the world.
Queen Chow Manly
Manly Wharf, 22-23 East Esplanade Manly, 02 9114 7341
Open Mon-Weds: 12pm-3pm; 5:30pm-11pm, Thurs-Sat: 12pm-3pm, 5:30pm-12am, Sun 12pm-3pm, 5:30pm-10pm