A variety of tapas, small plates prepared in Mediterranean style, will be rotated seasonally by chef Fabio Falanga. [Photo provided to China Daily]

When your sweet tooth kicks in, there's a nice vanilla semifreddo with minced almond biscuits and strawberries. But if you're serious about dessert, don't miss the chocolate mousse with crunchy pistachio cream.

Falanga plans to update the menu seasonally, so expect a new lineup when warm weather arrives. Meanwhile, founder and co-owner Shaoxian Di (call her Sohan) plans other surprises in the weeks ahead. She recently orchestrated a Beijing Hutong Food Week with her neighbors in the Ju'er Hutong area off Nanluoguxiang, and rumor has it there will be a repeat as soon as February.

While Shanghai and Hong Kong are good wine-bar cities, Beijing has struggled to make the concept work. (In the expat enclave of Sanlitun, some restaurants and bars still even struggle with the concept of wine by the glass, though things are improving.)

Can Fu be the spark that ignites a happy trend? We'll drink to that.

Contact the writer at michaelpeters@chinadaily.com.cn

If you go

Fu Tapas & Wine Bar

25 Ju'er Hutong, Dongcheng district, Beijing. 18801136781. Closed Mondays.