After months of speculation about whether Mr. And Mrs. Fu would ever reopen their subterranean restaurant in Printers Alley, Parco Cafe has finally reemerged with new ownership, lunch hours and—yes—booze.
June Oh, owner of Sapporo restaurant in Rivergate, recently purchased an interest in the restaurant from Chun and Tsuo Chuan Fu—who refer to themselves as Mr. And Mrs. Fu to spare everyone the challenge of pronunciation. A former culinary student of Mr. Fu, Oh will keep the menu of artistic dishes such as tea-smoked sea bass and lamb with baby bok choy, roasted peaches and passion fruit sauce. For now, she has also added a galette of shredded potatoes stuffed with orange roughy and grouper, and she plans to expand the repertoire of French-and-Asian cuisine to include Japanese elements, including sushi.
Despite long lamenting the stressful business of running a restaurant, the Fus are now headed to China to open another restaurant. Mr. Fu, whose diligence and skill know no bounds in the kitchen—as evidenced by the exquisite pastries that line the case inside the front door of Parco—will remain as a consultant to Oh. M.C. Chihombori, a former classmate of the Fus' son at Webb School in Bell Buckle, will continue to manage the front of the house.
Parco is now open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday noon to midnight. Parco Cafe is located at 207 Third Ave. N., with the entrance in Printers Alley, (phone: 259-7863).
