Review: Fusion combines great food, service and prices
January 30th, 2008, 7:00 am · Post a Comment · posted by Jess Harter
I’ve come to accept there are certain things in this world I’ll never understand.
The lyrics of “Louie Louie.” Einstein’s theory of relativity.
And, perhaps most perplexing, why there’s not a line out the door every night at Fusion Restaurant & Lounge.
I’m guessing many East Valley residents simply have never heard of this modest restaurant just off Camelback Road in downtown Scottsdale.
That’s the only possible explanation I can come up with, because chef Matt Long’s menu of sophisticated comfort food is among the tastiest in the Valley.
Fusion is sandwiched between the trendy nightclub Axis-Radius and the soon-to-open W Hotel. It’s mostly a two-person operation. Long’s wife, JenLyn, typically serves as hostess, sommelier, waiter and bartender.
The young couple have created an elegant but casual atmosphere. White linen tableclothes and candles lend a sense of romantic formality. Contemporary paintings by local artists add a touch of funkiness to the serene blue-gray walls.
It’s a cozy, welcoming space. Whether you’re Baby Boomers dressed up for a night on the town or 20-somethings wearing jeans and T-shirts, you’ll feel at home.
Similarly, Matt Long’s menu also offers something for everyone. His skill at combining different culinary influences and ingredients — hence the restaurant’s name — is evident from the start.
Appetizers include Jamaican jerk chicken skewers ($8.95, shown above) with crunchy plantain chips, a thick slice of roasted pineapple and a creamy cucumber aioli.
Like most of Long’s dishes, it’s a balance of contrasts: the spiciness of the chicken and the sweetness of the pineapple, the slightly salty crunch of the plantains and the slighty sour smoothness of the cucumber sauce.
All the flavors come through, but no one overwhelms the others.
There’s a chorizo macaroni and cheese ($7.95) made with cheddar, jack, Oaxaca and goat cheese and just the slightest bit of chipolte and green chiles for a slow-building warmth in your mouth.
And calamari ($8.95), ever-so-lightly breaded in panko crumbs and served with sesame-glazed vegetables and two mildly spicy Southwest sauces.
But these are just hints of what’s to come. The dinner menu has just 10 entrees, but each is a wonderful gastronomic adventure.
Hoison-marinated duck breast ($21.95) is nicely sliced and topped with a mound of crispy leeks, which, in turn, are balanced with a sweet and juicy apricot cous cous.
A double-bone pork chop ($17.95) is topped with crunchy tortilla strips and served on a bed of tender rainbow orzo with yellow pepper and onions and a ginger-chipote cream.
Black tiger shrimp ($16.95), with the tails helpfully removed, are piled atop rice noodles with chorizo, cherry tomatoes, snap peas and green onions in light cream sauce.
Even Fusion’s bacon cheeseburger, The Gladiator ($13.95, pictured above), is a masterpiece of Kobe beef, peppered bacon, caramelized jalapenos and onions and red chili cheese sauce.
And there’s no letdown with desserts, such as a sinfully light candy bar cheesecake ($5.50, pictured at left) or a flavorful key lime pie ($5.50), all pushed good-naturedly by ultra-friendly JenLyn.
By the time you leave Fusion, you’ll feel like a regular. And, I predict, you will be.
>> Fusion Restaurant & Lounge, 4441 N. Buckboard Trail, Scottsdale, is open 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday for lunch, at 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday for dinner. (480) 423-9043.
