Being unabashedly not "hip" I have no qualms about admitting my love for good fusion cuisine. I realize that in many foodie circles, the focus has moved toward "authentic" and "regional," and away from the dangerous ground of combining cultural specialties into something entirely new. Thus, I am beside myself with joy when I find a new restaurant in my city undertaking the risky concept of blending Eastern and Western dishes.

First off, I noticed the ambiance. This is a seriously young, modern and urban restaurant. The music playing softly for your dining pleasure is club & dance mix, and the art is mostly graffiti-style murals. The floor is painted concrete, and the seating is very open, with low-backs on the booths and clean, angular lines. An incredibly well-stocked bar holds pride of place in the center of the dining room, and with the open, industrial ceiling, adds to the dance-club-like atmosphere. Just sitting at the table with the menu in-hand made me feel younger and hipper than when I walked in the door. The staff is also both professional and friendly, just that kind of symbiotic relationship where you know they want you to be here, and you want to be here too. Very well managed.

Raz and I had a lot of discussion over what to order, since the combinations were just plain interesting. We finally decided to start with Spicy Tuna "Taquitos" and Kimchee Pancakes. The Taquitos were every bit as tasty as they look, and I didn't manage to get a shot of the Kimchee Pancakes, because we were too busy devouring them. Not sure I've ever had a better appetizer! Kimchee and I have a love-hate relationship. I want to love it so much, but the sharpness of the fermenting and the punch of the spicing are often too much for me. Apparently when you fry it into pancakes, however, some of the vegetables caramelize, creating a balancing sweetness that makes the dish phenomenal.

For our mains, Raz had the Spicy Bowl from the Poke menu, and I tried a selection of Tacos. The Poke bowls are only slightly more expensive than their equivalent at one of our local cevicherias, but the quality, presentation, and flavor are well worth the cost difference. 

The tacos were unlike any I've had anywhere else. I had Beer-Battered Avocado, Peruvian Chicken, and Flank Steak. I list them in that order not only because they're on the menu and plate that way, but that's also the order of good, better, best. I was gloriously surprised at the flavor of the flank steak, because it was reminiscent of every excellent carne asada I've ever had, but with a richer blend of flavors.

We will definitely be back for more.