Merivale certainly knows how to execute streamlined concepts that ooze fun. Good-looking Papi Chulo is no exception.
The name itself says it all (it loosely translates into a Latino term of endearment meaning pretty-boy or hot-daddy), but with the aid of an unparalleled view across the harbour, as well as a few tanned beachgoers, the team has a fitting starting point.
The décor is slick, with blue and while tiles, a huge, fully stocked bar dominating the main floor, open kitchen and a Cuban feel to the bistro chairs.
The menu leans heavily toward a US deep south barbeque theme, with a few nods to the cuisine of South America. Meats are cooked slowly over wood, often for six hours at low temperatures for extra intensity. The toasted Cuban sandwich with smoked pork is a handful, dripping with BBQ sauce. There's also a Tennessee hot fish sandwich and crisp empanadas for hefty lunches. Whole chilli chickens are cooked on a charcoal rotisserie, while grilled local sand crabs or whole fish make for great share dishes. Add some curly fries and a Hong Island Iced Tea and you’re making the most of one hot daddy.
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