Work in Progress by Patrick Friesen, Sydney

Work in Progress - the city bar launched by the Merivale group in May 2014 - lives up to its name with its newest spin, a pop-up fried chicken and noodle bar. Leading the charge is Papi Chulo head chef, Patrick Friesen, who says the menu is a reflection of what his fellow chefs like to eat after service. Fried chicken is right up there.



The original comic book collage by artist Frank Gohier remains on the main wall. New lanterns make an appearance and a giant conical-hat-wearing chicken shrieking "white man chicken" in Chinese characters makes its debut on the opposite wall.



All food and drinks need to be ordered and paid for at the bar. Drinks include a neat list of wines, cocktails and beers. Kirin and a pale ale are available on tap.



Cutlery and serviettes are all self-serve from re-purposed tins of coconut cream. Mini bottles of Indonesian Cap Ibu Jari Jempol sambal chilli sauce are a nice touch. Be warned that the chilli sauce tends to stick in the bottle and then explode onto your plate when you get impatient - hours of fun.


Work in Progress menu

Everything on the menu is designed to share. It's all perfectly engineering to satiate those snacky moments when you don't feel like a heavy meal but still want something sweet, salty and tasty.


Shallot pancakes $6

We kick things off with the shallot pancakes, a decent carb hit for the $6 price-tag. There's an impressive flaky layering to the flour and shallot disc, cut into eighths for easy sharing. They don't leave an oily after-taste either. I reckon they could do with more shallots but a generous shake of chillli sauce will add more than enough zing.


Agedashi'ish tofu $14

Patrick describes his agedashi-ish tofu as a cross between agedashi and okonomiyaki. It's a reference that makes sense once you eat everything together, the deep-fried silken tofu (agedashi) smothered in katsuoboshi bonito flakes, okonomi sauce and squiggles of mayonnaise, toppings more commonly found on top of okonomiyaki pancakes. A few shakes of what looks like a salmon and sesame seeds furikake amplifies the fishy saltiness. There's a satisfying stretchiness to the potato starch coating soaked in dashi broth, a clear and clingy webbiness that characterises a well-executed agedashi tofu.


Lo mein noodles with snow crab, tobiko and shellfish oil $16

We skip past the temptations of wonton noodles in a supreme broth and Sichuan duck and tofu lo mein and narrow in on the snow crab and tobiko lo mein. It's a spectacular sight, a nest of noodles crowned with clumps of picked snow crab, glistening pearls of tobiko flying fish roe and a tangle of snowpea sprouts.

The noodles don't have a lot of promised shellfish oil but there's a springy chewiness to each strand, accented by the sweet flakes of snow crab and salty pops of bright orange tobiko.


Halfies fried chicken $18
Ginger ninja fried chicken with ginger and nuoc cham and
chilli nuts fried chilli chicken with peanuts

Three types of fried chicken on offer: Pnohm Penh wings, the ginger ninja and chilli nuts fried chicken. The last two comprise the halfies fried chicken, ideal if you're keen on spreading your research base.

The ginger ninja is all about the crunch, served with a bowl of Vietnamese nuoc cham dipping sauce for unapologetic dunking.


Chilli nuts fried chicken

The chilli nuts fried chicken is for the saucy lovers, battered chicken dredged in a sticky sauce that's more tomato than chilli and relatively mild with heat. Extra textural elements come from the sprinkle of sesame seeds, crushed peanuts and finely sliced shallots.


Kimchi and pickles

Free kimchi and pickles come with every order of fried chicken. There's a fair whack of heat in the kimchi cabbage. Digestive salvation comes in the form of pickled daikon and cucumbers.


Back dining room

The main dining room is bright and colourful but if you prefer a little more grunge, you can always head to the back dining room hidden in an alcove opposite the kitchen. Crack den or dining room? You decide.


Paint-splattered decor


Video arcade game table

The video arcade game table is a killer upper cut though.

The best table in the house

Work in Progress @Patrick Friesen is a temporary pop-up for March into Merivale, running until 29 March 2015. Patrick is hopeful it may continue after this date, but get in beforehand just in case!






Work in Progress
50 King Street, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9240 3000

Opening hours:
Monday to Friday 12pm-3pm and 6pm-10pm
Bar open from 12pm until late

Work in Progress is a pop-up restaurant for March into Merivale 2015 and will trade 23 February - 29 March only


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Patrick Friesen - Papi Chulo, Manly