The zest and spice of fusion restaurants is not just in reference to their gourmet taste, the fashionable garments of the diners are also quite delicious.

It is always exciting for people to dress up and venture out to their favourite restaurants. Dining out satisfies your hunger to feel stylish, while giving you the chance to soak up the city atmosphere and social buzz.

Although deciding on what to eat, or more importantly what to wear, is a daunting task when you are spoilt for choice.

When it comes down to the crunch, food is like fashion, while food is categorized into cuisines, fashion is categorized into trends.

When the stereotypical categories of style and flavour are blurred, a ‘Fusion’ is created.

‘Fusion’ food is the amalgamation of different styles of cooking from a range of diverse cultures.

This innovative style of dining is a necessary move forward in the attempt to merge the various cultural concepts that Brisbane’s restaurant scene has to offer.

Self-confessed fan of food, Andrew Smith, says the food at Hanabi Fusion Food Restaurant in Auchenflower “is a delicious blend of spices that fuses different types of cuisines together”.

“The ingredients all blend together to create a powerful taste, plus it’s quite economical,” he says.

The stunningly chic clientele that Hanabi attracts are exposed to an entirely unique experience.

The head chef at Hanabi, twenty-seven-year-old, Donway Tan, says, “I make sure my staff greet each person warmly and make them feel at home.”

“If possible… it is expected that our staff will know their name by the end of dinner and remember what the customer likes or wishes to change by their next visit.”

A frequent Hanabi diner, Lisa Chong, admits that her fusion experiences are always enjoyable, she says, “The food at Hanabi is unlike anything I’ve ever tasted.”

Stepping into Hanabi is like entering another world, or at least another country. The interior design is a fusion of simple and neat furnishings with semi-oriental decorations.

The seamless combination of Eastern and Western ideals is also reflected in Hanabi’s exciting menu. The menu offers anything from fireworks Salad with Grilled Teriyaki Eel, to Raspberry Fusion Chicken, and Konyaku Kiwi Jelly. Where else in Brisbane are you given the opportunity to order such a broad array of mouth-watering concoctions?

When the chef was asked why he chooses to cook fusion food, Tan says “I don’t like normal food, I prefer to work with Japanese and Korean spices as they are somewhat different to what is normally used.”

Most entrées, desserts, spices and meat used in fusion are a rare commodity in the Brisbane market because they are especially imported from Asia.

But besides importing specialities, Tan also gets what he can from the markets here in Brisbane.

Tan says, “Spending lots of time in the markets, and knowing seasonal produce, helps me to serve better food.”

While waiting for food to be cooked, Tan takes a break from the kitchen and visits each table.

He looks out for the best dressed, while making sure his guests are enjoying themselves.

Often asked about his restaurant’s name, Tan says “Hanabi, translated from Japanese. [It] means fireworks in English”.

And ‘Hanabi’, indeed. The dishes served look bright, lively and explosively colourful.

“Basic principles of arrangement and design also help to give an enticing aesthetic to the food. Japan probably has one of the oldest traditions of food decoration, the traditions reflect different seasons and customs,” Tan says.

Looking as fierce as a Kenzo outfit, fusion food takes your breath away with a burst of flavoursome zing.

“[Hanabi’s] curry is like eating a spice garden… it bombards your senses of smell, taste and sight, and so does the atmosphere choice of music,” Smith says.

First time diner at Hanabi, Bryan Karson, says fusion food is “like the mix of different worlds”.

According the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Brisbane is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, and this is metaphorically represented by fusion food

European chef, Pow Cheong, says he’s bewildered by the taste of fusion food.

“It’s a bit of a crazy mix… many flavours… I prefer an overpowering spicy taste, but it’s great because the food is made to your liking,” Cheong says.

Tan says, “[It’s] like painting… you have to find a balance of flavours and ingredients to complement all of the different foods”.

The taste of “fusion” food provides such an extraordinary sensation that diners cannot seem to put their forks down.

Tan glows with delight when he see’s his guests enjoying the effort that he has put into each explosive dish.

“I choose to cook because I have a passion for food and the joy of seeing people enjoying the food that I cook for them,” he says.

Breaking out of a normal daily routine and dining with authenticity gives ‘Brisbanites’ something to look forward to at the end of the day.
The ambient jazz music in the background allows diners to unwind and devour their favorite delicacies in a truly ritzy fashion.

With a mix of flavours all in one mouthful, and the experience of delightful sights and sounds at a reasonable expense; ‘Fusion’ dining is definitely an enchanting affair.

With Customs House Brassiere located in City Centre, Café San Marco in South Bank, and Tukka in West End, fusion restaurants are taking over Brisbane, one corner of the city at a time. And ‘Brisbanites’ are sure to enjoy the fireworks of global flavor in every dish.