Restaurant Review: Fuse
Aiken has a hidden gem that's been kept quiet for far too long. Fuse is a small restaurant located in downtown Aiken. When you walk to fuse the building seems like a perfect fit among the other restaurants. The sign in front of the building displays class that appeals to everyone.
Another thing that is sure to strike up a conversation is the plants outside of the building. The plants were chilis and basil plants which represent the freshness of the ingredients.
Appa’s POV:
Service was incredibly fast and our waitress was very kind. The service looked very efficient. The staff took their time to introduce themselves to us to help make the wait feel less.
The menu was straightforward and on that Wednesday they were having half-off ramen and wine. I was pleased because I had wanted ramen at that moment.
The ramen was ginormous and featured many items in it. The ramen features house-made noodles and house-made broth. It also has house-made brisket, infused oils, green onions, sesame seeds, and a marinated egg. Fuse also pours a bit of chili oil on top for a slight kick. The ramen had a warm and hearty look to it. The dish looked stunning and aesthetic. I knew that the first bite was going to be out of this world. When I took the first bite, I couldn’t have been more right. I couldn’t put the chopsticks down and kept attacking the bowl.
After this dish I wanted to pick at the fries I ordered. The item is called fat fries which are hand-cut in-house. The dish was 6 dollars and I argued that the price was way too low for the quality and quantity the customer was receiving.
After a brief chat with the executive chef and owner of fuse, he let us sample some more dishes.
The first dish was called Pincho. The dish looked neatly placed and the garnish made the dish pop out. The chef's spin on Pincho is mushroom pate on asiago cheese and toasted pecans. The dish also features herbs and tarragon oil. The first bite of this dish overwhelmed me. The mushroom pate was fulfilling and the pecans brought in a nutty flavor and the tarragon oil binds everything together. The piece of lattice on the button of the plate is just for aesthetics but it is delicious when you scoop up some tarragon oil with it.
The next dish was street corn chowder which featured fresh street corn bisque. Queso fresco, cilantro,, and chili.
The next sample dish was the coconut vegetable curry with grilled flatbread. The curry was a bit sweeter but it was Vietnamese style. The curry was light and lively.
Lastly, I had an Italian twist. The dish features house-made pasta with rosemary garlic bread.
The final dish was like a note, the last tune to be played for the day. The quality never dropped during this course. The chef said that his inspiration comes from every interaction he has had.
Freshness is a lifestyle for Fuse.
Erica’s POV:
First off, I would like to mention that I am a very picky eater.
When it comes to food, if there is something I don’t like in a dish, I more than likely will not eat it.
With Fuse, that is a whole different story.
The restaurant itself is beautiful, like the food, and the staff is extremely hospitable and friendly. The vibe in Fuse is laid back and relaxing.
We were seated promptly upon arrival, and our waitress was at our table within seconds of us sitting down.
The staff is also very knowledgeable about their menu and dishes, even with it changing daily.
We started the meal with drinks, both of us ordered water, but I also decided to try one of their wines. I asked for their sweetest white, which happened to be the Pitule Moscato D’Asti from Italy. It was an amazing recommendation and most likely now my favorite wine. (Yes, I am of legal age to consume alcohol.)
As an appetizer, we ordered their Fat Fries and their Potstickers. Both came out within 10 minutes and were amazing.
The owner and head chef, Chris, came out to speak with us and offered to bring out some other dishes to expand our experience as well as give us a more indepth experience of the food offered at Fuse.
One dish that was brought out for us to sample was the Pincho. I am not a fan of mushrooms, but this completely made me rethink my outlook on them. There was a nice balance between the texture of the toast and the lions mane mushrooms. The flavors also blended well between the sweetness of the candied pecans and the saltiness from the cheese.
Another dish that was offered to us was Chef Chris’s rendition of an elote. It was a sweet creamy corn bisque topped with fresh cilantro, queso fresco and chili powder. This was my favorite dish of the night.
For my main dish I also ordered the ramen. It came out beautifully and tasted even better than it looked. I am not one for extreme spice, so I asked that the chili oil be separate from the dish so that I could add it myself. The broth was amazing, and probably the best ramen broth I have had so far. The noodles were cooked perfectly and everything complemented the dish well.
Chef Chris also brought out their pasta and curry. The pasta was amazing, and took me back to Italy. It was creamy and well balanced.
The final dish was a Vietnamese style curry which contains coconut, giving it a sweetness that I had never had before in a curry.
Everything that we tried at Fuse was amazing and extremely good quality and quantity for the price.
Fuse gets a 10/10 from me, and I highly recommend going at least once!
