Another Side of Everyday Life, Just Beyond the Door

About a five-minute walk north from Fuse Station. Among the signs lining the arcade, a splash of red suddenly catches your eye. Fu Yu, with its display of dim sum photos, has, before you know it, become a familiar part of this street’s scenery.

The moment you slide open the door, the soft sound of Chinese drifts in. Deep in the kitchen, the owner is on the phone with someone. Even if you don’t understand the words, it’s strangely familiar—the “sounds of daily life.”

This isn’t just a delicious Chinese restaurant. It’s a slice of Chinese “everyday life” that has opened up right here in Fuse.

From High-End Chinese Cuisine to the Neighborhood Dining Table

The owner is originally from Yangzhou, China. He is a chef who once honed his skills at a high-end Chinese restaurant in Nagano.

But now, he runs a small diner in Fuse that’s just the right size for him. Ever since that day when he greeted me with a slightly shy smile and a “Welcome!” I’ve found myself coming back not just for the food, but to see him again.

He says he was drawn to the warmth and freedom of Osaka’s atmosphere, which is why he opened his restaurant here.

Day after day, he focuses not on titles but on fulfilling the “cravings” of the customers right in front of him. The artistry of high-end cuisine now quietly breathes life into the neighborhood kitchen.

Steamed, pan-fried, and overflowing—two kinds of xiaolongbao

The first thing that surprises you is the sheer variety of the menu. Alongside familiar dishes like sweet and sour pork and chili shrimp, there’s a long list of dishes with names you’ve never heard before. It’s a common sight here to see regulars from China pointing one after another at the Chinese-language menu.

This restaurant has two stars.

One is the (steamed) xiaolongbao, which looks like a work of art.

The wrapper is almost transparent and seems like it might tear if handled even slightly roughly. Place it gently on a spoon, break it open with chopsticks, and… a generous amount of broth gushes out.Rather than a concentrated burst of umami, it’s more like a gentle, delicate umami that gently unfurls on your palate.

The other star is the pan-fried xiaolongbao, served straight from the skillet.

The bottom is crispy, and the edges are chewy. The aromatic scent of the charred crust blends with the sesame oil and wafts gently up to your nose.

A customer laughed and said, “This is a ‘giant xiaolongbao,’ isn’t it?” Indeed, it’s that substantial and hearty.

Spicy, but it really hits the spot

The “Sichuan-style Braised Beef” is red. No, it’s bright red.

Served with a laugh and a warning—“It’s a little spicy”—it’s packed with no-holds-barred chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns. But it’s not just spicy. When you slurp the broth, the sweetness of the beef and the depth of the spices follow right behind.

Even as my tongue stung, I found myself unable to put my chopsticks down. On that winter night, that single bowl made me feel just a little bit more energized.

Human warmth that touches the heart more deeply than xiaolongbao

The reason you’ll want to come back to this place isn’t just the food. It’s probably, even more than that, the owner’s personality.

A small plate quietly placed before me with the words, “This is on the house.” When I was feeling a bit under the weather and coughing, I was handed a special medicinal wine with the advice, “Drink this—it’ll warm you up.”

It’s not flashy, but it stays with you. That warm gaze, simply looking out for the people there.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a regular or a first-timer. Before you know it, you find yourself coming back just to see that smile.

Encountering China in This Town

It lacks the glitz of a tourist spot. There are no Instagram-worthy setups. But in Fuse, there are people, there’s steam, and there are aromas.

A dish that appears when you point to an unfamiliar dish on the menu. The moments spent eating while laughing, “What on earth is this?!” The atmosphere of savoring it together. All of that gradually becomes part of “daily life.”

Another side of China, right here in Fuse. Even today, the words “I’m home” are flying back and forth there.