BY ALYSSA MAHADEO
In more recent years Toronto’s fine dining scene has gone through some serious renovations and has earned a reputation for itself, known for its wide range of new trendy restaurants and lounges that have become a popular site for nightlife in the city. If you’re headed out for a night in the six, the smooth sultry allure of FUSE Restaurant offers an upscale, classy and very modern urban chic dining experience that invites you to try a unique definition of fusion cuisine.
Located at 366 Queen Street East, FUSE Restaurant is a perfect concoction of global cuisine in a new modern, cool and contemporary atmosphere. The owners are four friends hailing from Caribbean roots by the names of Farley Flex, Star Braithwaite, Doug Johnson and Anthony Johnson who were successful event promoters that decided to take their talents and invest them in running their own business lining their own pockets for a change.
Part owner, Farley Flex shares that while hosting an event put on by two of his partners at the Thai Restaurant that has since become the venue for FUSE, they discovered that the former owners of the space were thinking about moving. The landlord was a friend of Farley’s and he encouraged him to consider taking over the lease as the place was in a great location, to host a lot more successful events just like the one they had done that night. After some consideration, the four friends decided to get together and become part owners of the establishment. As event promoters they had the skillset necessary to draw crowds so why not take advantage of hosting events and bringing in clientele to your own venue? The opportunity offered a combination of a spacious venue as well as a restaurant something they didn’t have much experience with, but were very interested in learning, and implementing in their new establishment.
As with many business ventures there are always challenges you face working in the customer service industry, dealing with operational costs and making sure that things run as smoothly as possible. They love their location, situated in the newly revitalized heart of Toronto’s historic Corktown district is perfect for them adding that authentic city feel and giving them a platform on which they can build a shinning reputation for themselves as the place to go in the downtown core. Local patrons have shared that FUSE Restaurant is definitely bringing up the standard of the neighborhood.
Fuse Restaurant Entertainment Emporium is a restaurant, bar and coffee roastery located in Toronto’s east end at Queen and Parliament. Fuse Restaurant’s Chef Pierre and Head Chef Pirelli have created a menu of dishes, taking inspiration from around the world. Sharing dishes made with Canadian produce; whole animals and fish are butchered and prepared on site every day.
FUSE officially opened on the weekend of Thursday Jan 21st. Chef Jerome Bishop and Sous Chef Amanda Hamer have prepared a Global Fusion menu for all to enjoy with popular favourites that include Sizzling Kalbi Beef, their award winning version of chicken & waffles (Chicken & Donuts) and classics like their 10oz striploin cooked to your perfection, market fish selections and vegetarian options including their signature Black Bean Burger is also available with all the toppings.
Their high end menu, includes customer favorites like Jerk Chicken Supreme Blackened Salmon, Escovitch Fish Tacos, Rack of Lamb and also more causal dining options like chicken wings, mac and cheese, burgers, fries and salad.
For those coming with pure food indulgence in mind, come into FUSE and satisfy your desires with their ever changing internationally and seasonally inspired small plates. FUSE restaurant loves food, many different types of food, and is always willing to try something new just like their versatile customers. They promise an intimate and relaxed dining experience that offers something different to local and foreign patrons and ensures you enjoy a memorable food experience every time.
The restaurant has two floors and the upstairs area is available for reservation equipped to host private lounge parties, private event, corporate events wedding receptions and meetings. There is a bar located on both levels of the restaurant and the venue can be utilized in many different capacities as needed. The downstairs is the main dining area and their unique setup allows them to expand and contract the dining experience.
Down at FUSE they offer their customers a fusion experience where they can transition from fine dining to live entertainment and ultimately in to a club depending on which night of the week demands that type of venue. The restaurant gives off that distinct feel of one of those classy jazz clubs and the atmosphere is charged by the anticipation of eating delicious and savoury food while enjoying a selection of live entertainment.
This six day a week live music venue features a rotating weekly eclectic mixture of live music and musicians playing jazz, blues, karaoke, R&B soul, funk, singer-songwriter, reggae, latin and more. You can bet that you will surely be wined, dined and entertained by top bands and musicians from Toronto and beyond on any given day of the week.
FUSE hopes to be your hub for great global fusion cuisine, live entertainment, private events of all varieties and more. FUSE offers a varied selection of wine, beer and spirits including craft beer and consignment wines. They are a mainstream Afro-Caribbean owned restaurant and event venue and they offer a special place in the downtown area that is happy to cater to the event needs of the Caribbean community. They want them to know they offer a space that is open and welcome to them and they are willing to work with them in all aspects to make their events one they won’t soon forget. “We want the Caribbean people to feel a sense of pride knowing that members of their community have this type of offering,” explains Farley.
Coming soon to the FUSE dining experience is a Sunday Brunch Menu, with its unique Global Fusion cuisine. They pride themselves on being an all-purpose venue booking all types of occasions and happy to host as the need be. If you’re ever in the area FUSE wants to be your hub in the city for great global fusion cuisine, live entertainment, private events of all varieties and much more!
Reservations can be made one of three ways, online at www.opentable.com, by email to reservations@fusedining.com, or by calling 647-347-FUSE (3873) For more information or to contact FUSE please call 647-347-FUSE (3873) or email info@fusedining.com.
