FU 浮 (meaning “to float” rather than “riches”) is a new tapas and wine bar that has just opened on Ju’er Hutong.
The kitchen and menu is under the management of Fabio Falanga who recently worked wonders with La Dolce Vita, I had to go try it out and see if he could pull off the same trick here!
Teaming up with owners with a background in interior design and Michael from Dada (who I’m assuming is in charge of the wine list), Fabio told us that the focus of FU 浮 is organic wines and Mediterranean small plates or tapas. He envisions it as a place to come work or have a chat with friends in a warm and intimate space. The designers have done a great job, warm is exactly the adjective I would use to describe it.
There is a wall of actual foliage on the ground floor and the lighting and color scheme leave you with the feeling of being in a glade in a forest.
The top floor is set to serve as a function room and has space for around 30 people in a lovely open attic.
My one complaint is that the music on the speakers was a little loud where we were sitting on the first floor, which did eat into the ambience.
Main Dining Area on the 1st Floor
Bench Seating on the 2nd Floor
Sitting down at our table on the 1st floor next to a wall of greenery, we were presented with 2 clipboards – one for wines and one for “Bites”.
There is a large selection of wines as you would hope, with bottles from all over the world. We sampled the two whites by the glass, both of which were crisp and smooth.
The food was reflective of a restaurant in soft opening. We tried a swathe of the menu and the one thing that sticks out above all is that portions are designed to be small. This is not a place to come for a big feed.
However, some of these were well worth trying out. Specifically the scallop with yuzu and truffle sauce is a fabulous dish and the truffle-yuzu sauce is something that I would like to bottle and pour over everything I eat.
I can also highly recommend the vegetable lasagne and the beef carpaccio.
We found the couscous sushi rolls and the cod potato pasta to be lacking. By no means was either a bad dish, they just didn’t linger in the memory.
Glass of House White to Start
Welcome Bread Basket
Australian Beef Carpaccio (200 days grain fed) with Parmigiano Chips, Dijon Mustard, Arugula, Fried Tomatoes (RMB 68)
Sushi Roll of Couscous, Cream Cheese, Smoked Salmon & Beetroot (RMB 48)
Seafood Salad with Grapes, Pine Nuts and Cherry Tomatoes Salad (RMB 58)
Potato Croquettes in Almond Crust filled with Pancetta and Moliterno Cheese served with Tumeric and Eggplants Sauce (RMB 48)
Vegetarian Lasagna with White Sauce and Porcini Mushrooms (RMB 68)
Fried Scallops in Pasta Kataifi served with Truffle and Yuzu Sauce (RMB 128)
Paccheri Pasta filled with Cod and Potatoes served with Clams and Zucchini Sauce (RMB 68)
Overall, there were definitely some stand-out dishes worthy of a return visit, but I wouldn’t recommend this place to foodies looking for a full meal. FU is much more appropriate for post-work drinks and nibbles or post-dinner drinks and nibbles. There definitely are enough tasty dishes on the menu and you could potentially order one of everything to make a full meal, but their menu isn’t designed for that purpose.
On the other hand, this would be a great spot for a group get-together or to host an event where tasty wines are the focus and people can get some bites if they’re starving.
In any case, as FU is still in soft opening phase, expect changes and updates to their bites and wine menus in the next few weeks.
FU 浮 Tapas & Wine Contact Details:
- Address: 25 Ju’er Hutong, Dongcheng District, Beijing (The street perpendicular between Jiaodaokou Nandaijie and Nanluoguxiang)
- 地址：东城区菊儿胡同25号 （交道口南大街南锣鼓巷之间）
- Tel: +86 188 0113 6781
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.futapas.com
- Opening Hours: Tuesday-Friday from 17:00-midnight, Sat & Sun from 12:00-midnight, Closed Mondays
About Kristen
Kristen Lum has an accomplished background in PR, communications and events in China. Born and raised in California, Kristen has been based in Beijing since 2006 and is founder of the lifestyle blog called LumDimSum, covering mostly restaurant news and reviews alongside upcoming events around town that relate to Beijing’s muti-faceted, quickly-developing creative industries like art, music, film, health and fitness, fashion, nightlife, charity events, and travel tips.
