With a drink menu divided into categories -- exotic cocktails, anti-oxidant drinks, and "seemingly healthy" herbal cocktails -- and a dinner menu influenced with flavors that seem to span the Seven Seas, perhaps they aren't too far off base.
Fuzion is sparsely decorated, but the space bears the birthmarks of a classic Fifth Ward warehouse. The windows are bright and geometric. The dining area is flanked by a large garage door. The lounge, however, brought with it new construction of a lively bar and a two-tiered cocktailing space that make it interesting to behold as well as to drink in.
And, notably, Fuzion offers unique non-alcoholic cocktails, including a no-jito (mint, tonic and lime with your choice of mango, guava, passion fruit, or raspberry puree -- $3), and coolaid (non-alcoholic strawberry margarita with grenadine -- $3), Wine flights and a limited wine and beer list.
Dining here focuses on small plates with infused flavors from various cuisines. On our recent scouting visit, we interrupted happy servers sampling new varieties of wings to add to the small, but tight menu. You know you're in a good spot when the servers are not only willing to sample the food -- they're excited about it.
In addition to their tornado wings ($8.50) and soon to arrive new varieties, expect to see bits of Korean, Caribbean, Indian, and Southern cooking drizzled into the offerings. Mexican wontons ($8) and crawfish eggrolls ($9) deviate from standard Chinese application of wonton skins by stuffing them with Mexican seasoned turkey sausage, cilantro and cream cheese, and crawfish tails and crisp Asian vegetables, respectively. Vegetarians are offered an appetizer of grilled vegetables ($7.50) stacked and served with a wasabi fusion sauce.
Small plates include Samosas ($4), a traditional Indian dish with a twist of pineapple infusion sauce, and a lobster pizza ($9.50) that loads a crust with langostino, cheese, garlic, basil and tomato a là Margherita.
Fuzion also offers three varieties of sliders, including an Irish butter burger trio ($7.50) with caramelized onions and gorgonzola cheese, and four entrees of seafood, beef and chicken. Curry chicken with mango ($14.50) syncs the staple Chinese dish with mangos and vegetables, while crawfish etoufée and kalbi beef appear to stick more closely to their Creole and Korean roots. Malibu shrimp ($15.50) touts a fascinating sounding coconut Malibu rum sauce with pan seared shrimp.
Fuzion features a variety of nightly specials to meld with their overall fus(z)ion theme, ranging from daily drink specials to Rak the Kasbah Thursday evenings with belly dancing, hookahs, and Mediterranean food specials.
Amy L. Schubert is a 15-year veteran of the hospitality industry and has worked in every aspect of bar and restaurant operations. A graduate of Marquette University (B.A.-Writing Intensive English, 1997) and UW-Milwaukee (M.A.-Rhetoric, Composition, and Professional Writing, 2001), Amy still occasionally moonlights as a guest bartender and she mixes a mean martini.
The restaurant business seems to be in Amy’s blood, and she prides herself in researching and experimenting with culinary combinations and cooking techniques in her own kitchen as well as in friends’ restaurants. Both she and her husband, Scott, are avid cooks and “wine heads,” and love to entertain friends, family and neighbors as frequently as possible.
Amy and Scott live with their boys, Alex and Nick, in Bay View, where they are all very active in the community. Amy finds great pleasure in sharing her knowledge and passions for food and writing in her contributions to OnMilwaukee.com.
