Restaurant Review: Fu's Repair Shop
FU'S REPAIR SHOP 10524 Jasper Avenue | fusrepairshop.ca Instagram: @fus_repair_shop Co-Diners: The Husband
Fu's has been on my must-try list for a long time, ever since I noticed that they were taking over the space on 109th Street that Prairie Fish N Chips had left vacant. The windows were papered with newsprint and signage that said that they would "fix me" and I was beyond curious. Since then, Fu's has done very well for themselves and have moved to a larger location (you thought that they had a lot of lanterns before?) around the corner on Downtown's Jasper Ave. Opening in 2022, less than two short years ago, Fu's has made quite the splash and very well might be the coolest restaurant in town. enRoute magazine nominated them as one of Canada's Best New Restaurants 2022 and EDify Magazine awarded them the Best New Restaurant 2023 spot. Edmonton has always had restaurants but now, more and more, we are seeing entire experiences. Incredibly strong and immersive concepts. Fu's Repair Shop is an example of this, if not the best version. The idea is that the "repair shop" is a front. They'll fix your broken (obsolete?) electronics, you know, like your pager, walkman, 8 track, and VCR. I love this whole thing. You can picture this shop in a Chinatown somewhere. Walking inside, the entrance looks like a small, you guessed it; repair shop. There are piles of electronics and kitsch strewn about and old TVs with static on the screens. And there's a 7UP pop machine... Except it's not a vending machine - it's a secret door! Passing through this door might be one of the most exciting reveals that Edmonton has to offer. Once on the other side the space opens into the most gorgeous dining room, dripping with theme and design. Are you in some back alley speakeasy in Chinatown now? Because yes, you are. The lanterns! Hundreds of them! The ornate xieshan-style bar with neon lights! The kung fu movies being projected on the exposed brick wall! The level of ambiance is unmatched. It's dim, sultry, and there are details everywhere. The music is also amazing, all from the late 90s and early 2000s. It should be noted that no minors are allowed in the restaurant. (Hello date night with no kids!!) I visited on a Saturday evening and once seated I was excited to get a cocktail into my hand ASAP. The program is extensive and perfectly matched to the entire vibe. The Cherry Blossom looked so pretty going by with its flower garnish but I had to pick the Sakura Sour ($14.50).
The flavours of cherry, vanilla and cardamom sounded incredible and exactly like my kind of drink. It was delicious! This beverage felt sophisticated while still being playful. It wasn't too sweet and the different flavours came through beautifully. I love the fluffy egg white top on a sour and was very pleased with each sip. Other fun things on the drink menu include the FU-BERG which is beer topped with soju slush, a Lucky Teapot of beer for $10, and a great list of non-alcoholic cocktails. The Lychee Rose Tonic is something that I absolutely must order in the future! There's even a "dealers choice" option where you can just let the bar make you something special. I love that Fu's makes a point of supporting local vendors and the Chinatown community in Edmonton. Anything not made in-house is sourced from this community and this only elevates the authenticity of the food and overall experience. We wanted to order a bunch of different things to eat from all parts of the menu! And so that's exactly what we did. Our server was decently okay but I did find her quite disengaged and generally unenthused about answering questions or making recommendations. All of our dishes came out as they were ready and in no particular order. The feast was on! I love the idea of All Night Dim Sum and ordered a bunch of items from this section of the menu. First to arrive was the Chan Bao ($10.88) with Miso Gochujang Butter.
Baked in limited quantities each day, I was happy to get my hands, er, mouth on these pillowy, golden pockets. These reminded me of a warm, soft brioche especially with the dusting of fleur de sel on top. But somehow, inside there was a filling of miso gochujang butter that changed the game entirely. One of my favourite things that I ate, these buttery soft bao melted in my mouth and surprised me with flavour and a bit of heat. The bao are also offered in three other types, including a daily feature that rotates. Next to arrive were the Green Onion Cakes ($5.88 for one). This is considered a "side." Being that green onion cakes are maybe the singular most iconic food that Edmonton has to offer, I needed to try the Fu's version.
I've written about green onion cakes and Edmonton's love affair with them quite extensively in the past and it's only fitting that Fu's has their own on offer. Like with almost every restaurant green onion cake out there, this version was the fluffier and puffier style, with multiple layers of dough and pockets of air between the layers (as opposed to the pancake style). I enjoyed every crispy, salty bite and was happy to dunk my pieces thoroughly in the chili oil. A solid entry into the city's GOC scene. Next up was the item that I've probably heard the most about, the Pork Wontons in Chili Oil ($17.88), also from the dim sum menu.
I was getting some unexpected fusion vibes from this dish. I've had wontons drenched in chili oil before but these were different. First of all, I don't associate tomato with Chinese food at all and chicharron (which I love!) is extremely Spanish. The spin on this plate was interesting and exciting! The wontons themselves were juicy and well-made while the chili oil brought a delicious heat. The chicharron (fried pork) was a great addition for texture and complimented the pork inside of the wontons well. I can see why this dish is so popular because it's a true flavour-punch to the face and captures the magic that is Fu's Repair Shop really well. From the Small Eats part of the menu we received the Peachy Shrimp ($20.88). I don't know why peaches and shrimp go together but they just do?!
I really liked the creamy sweetness of this dish but I also found it a bit busy and somewhat confusing. The tender shrimp were cooked well but were tricky to eat with their tails on and all of the sauce. I got a few bites of peaches but could have used more. The shrimp cracker was a garnish of crispy dust. While there was a lot going on, the flavours and textures were great. A sweet preparation of shrimp makes sense to me and this dish certainly delivers. Bouncing back to dim sum, we tried the Har Gow ($7.88).
I really liked these little orders of dim sum because it felt like a great way to try a lot of different things, one perfect bite at a time. These dumplings were juicy and delicious! I love that Fu's is using the name "XOXO sauce" (as opposed to the usual XO sauce) which makes their seafood-based chili oil sound like it's full of hugs and kisses. These dumplings were seafood-forward with salty notes that I enjoyed. And then the Truffle Siu Mai ($7.88), another popular dim sum offering.
These unique dumplings felt a little French to me. I liked the combo of savoury pork and shrimp on the inside and found the outside toppings to be quite distinctive. A mushroom duxelle with truffle is not something that I would usually associate with Chinese dim sum! Plus more use of crispy chicharron. These are pretty special and in a category of their own. They must be tasted! Lastly, there was the Siu Aap 5 Spice Duck Tacos ($19.88), again from the "Small Eats" section, however this dish didn't seem so small.
This item was a whole activity and it was a lot of fun. The duck meat fell right off of the bone and was completely packed with flavour. It was so interesting to see a French preparation of duck with an Asian spice profile - it worked so well! The thin pancake wrappers were almost like crepes but they were meant to be used like a taco. I filled mine with a little bit of everything, favouring ample amounts of tender duck meat and pickled items for a hit of acid. And of course plenty of sesame sauce! I really loved this dish. It was fun to eat and the flavours were huge and excellent! The duck is something special at Fu's and they use it in more than one dish on the menu. Highly recommend! I need to mention that the dishware at Fu's is amazing. I absolutely loved the use of plates and bowls that are truly Chinese and the appearance of steaming baskets on the table as well.
I was somewhat let down when the one dish that I really wanted to order from the Wok Hay part of the menu was not available. I really, really wanted to try the Crazy Rich Rice Noodles which I've heard so much about! Unfortunately it was not on the menu on the night of my visit. Moving along to dessert, the Sweets (but not too sweet!) part of the menu hooked me with the Calamansi Rose Water Mango Pudding ($8.88).
The menu mentioned macerated strawberries (plural) when what they really meant was one singular strawberry. Incredibly silky, this dessert is light, not too sweet (as promised), and just the right way to end a big meal. I love anything with rose water in it, which balanced well with the tart notes from the calamansi, a small citrus fruit. A lovely little ending!
Did you notice that all of the food prices at Fu's end in 88¢? I did. Eight is regarded as the luckiest number in China and it's known as the symbol of prosperity. I love finding little details like this. In fact, Fu's Repair Shop is chock full of little secrets and things to discover. The DJ booth (yes, there's a DJ) is made of old TVs (some showing static), speakers, and boomboxes. The washrooms (downstairs) look like an old-timey Chinese beauty parlour. I'm sure that this only scratches the surface of the mysteries hidden within. Fu's is well worth the visit. It's more than a restaurant - impossibly atmospheric, it's a true immersive and unforgettable experience. And on top of that the food is quite exciting and wonderful. One of the most incredible additions to the Edmonton dining scene in recent times!
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