Fusion’s in Fashion

Say what you will about the evils of globalization, but it’s an amazing accomplishment where food is concerned.   Without it, we might never have Vietnamese banh mi, Japanese ramen, Szechuan  hot pots and half the world’s foods at our fingertips pretty much any time of day.  And we certainly wouldn’t have genius inventions, like Korean barbecue rolled up in a Mexican burrito a la Kogi BBQ.  Cultures have been mixing for centuries and things like Indo-Chinese fusion go back thousands of years.

Let’s be honest: we’ve seen some pretty bad fusion in America, beginning in the late 80’s.  (Remember Buddha Bar and the Asian Fusion trend just a few years ago?)   Sometimes, mixing different culture’s cuisines just to get attention can lead to disaster.  But lately, we’ve noticed an evolved brand of fusion, blending cuisines in exciting and unexpected ways.  Just try the Kung Pao Pastrami at Mission Chinese in the Lower East Side or Wong’s Pork and Sea Cucumber Bolognese in the West Village.

Here’s some of the best fusion restaurants in the city that actually do the concept justice…