I lived in China for a year, so I have a serious soft spot for Chinese street food. Thankfully, Columbus has been spoiling us lately with a wave of new spots serving authentic regional cuisine. The summer heat has me reminiscing about my time in Shenzhen, and suddenly I found myself craving skewers. I’d passed by Zhu Shi Fu a few times and finally decided it was time to give it a try.
Zhu Shi Fu is a hole-in-the-wall Chinese barbecue spot specializing in charcoal-grilled skewers. These northern Chinese-style street eats are traditionally cooked over an open flame and generously seasoned with salt, cumin, and chili powder. They instantly reminded me of evenings spent at the King Way beer garden across the street from my Chinese classes, where skewers and a cold drink were the perfect way to end the day.
Because it was blazing hot outside, we started with the Sour & Spicy Cucumber. It was the perfect refreshing appetizer. The cucumbers are lightly pickled in vinegar and chili oil, giving them just the right balance of tangy and spicy. One thing to note is that this dish contains peanuts, so keep that in mind if you have allergies.
For some reason, I’d never eaten skewers with white rice during my entire year in China. It was always fried rice, so naturally we had to order it. The fried rice here is solid, flavorful without stealing the spotlight from the skewers. The portion is generous enough for two people to share comfortably, or even three if you’re ordering a bunch of other dishes. (Which you absolutely should.)
Now for the star of the show: the skewers.
We ordered…a lot of skewers. There may have been some passionate debate at the table about which ones were the best, but after careful review , here are our top picks in no particular order: Lamb, Chicken, Chicken Skin, Pork Belly. Honorable mention to quail egg and potato
The lamb was pure nostalgia. It tasted just like the skewers I used to grab after class in China. One bite and I was mentally transported back to those summer nights at the beer garden. The seasoning is wonderfully cumin-forward without being overwhelmingly spicy, letting the smoky flavor of the charcoal really shine.
I can’t personally speak to the shellfish skewers because of my allergy, but they looked fantastic and were disappearing from neighboring tables at an impressive pace.
Things to Know Before You Go
Ordering is done through your phone by scanning a QR code, so asking questions about the menu can be a little tricky.
Street parking is available nearby.
The food comes out incredibly fast, so I’d recommend ordering in batches. You can always add more skewers.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been looking for authentic Chinese barbecue, Zhu Shi Fu absolutely deserves a visit. The skewers are flavorful, the prices are reasonable, and the experience brought back some wonderful memories of my time in China. Columbus keeps getting better and better when it comes to authentic international food, and Zhu Shi Fu is another great reason to skip the chain restaurants and try something new.
Zhu Shi Fu
Address: 3443 N High St, Columbus, OH 43214
Instagram: @zhushifuusa
Website: zhushifuusa.com
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