FUSION GRILL
Neighbourhood: Academy
Address: 550 Academy Rd
Phone: 204-489-6963
Entrees: $29 – $53
Farm to table dining captivates sustainable focused foodies. To sample the most dedicated locavore cuisine in Winnipeg, book a table at Fusion Grill and be treated to an experience as delectable as it is transparently socially responsible.
Owner Scot McTaggart and his team have made it their mission to find local farmers, producers and foragers and tantalize diners with thrilling dishes that change how we think about eating. Chef Lorna Murdoch remains an unwavering champion, pushing the envelope with her imaginations.
Grass-fed beef and bison for example, are sourced locally by the animal, with cuts announced nightly as the kitchen works through the animal. Pâté made from Zinn’s farm chicken unites with wild blueberry preserve foraged from Manitoba’s Parkland, layered over grilled house made focaccia bread. The sweet and savory match is perfection.
The local ethos is even evident in the inviting 41-seat room in which local artists’ paintings of prairie scenery, awash in sunlight and puffy clouds appear. Behind the bar, an all-star cast of Canadian wines is proudly displayed.
The hyper-local ingredient list does nothing to limit the menu’s range. The tour of flavours spans the globe. A row of crisp fried dumplings incorporating Chaeban mascarpone, mushrooms and cabbage garnished with wild rice noodles reimagines Chinese inspired bites. Korean gochujang glazes an entrée starring White King Cole duck, raising the flavourful rich meat to new heights with sweet and spicy notes. Slices of kimchi style cabbage add pleasantly cool sourness to a tingling palate. Tucked beneath the grilled duck breast, a crisp fried potato latke, brilliantly completing the masterful fusion of tastes and textures.
International visitors opt for bison or lake fish for good reason. Rotating renditions of freshly caught Lake Winnipeg pickerel are stellar and rarely resemble a simple shore lunch. Pan-fried, novelly seasoned with shado beni, fillets co-mingle with a batata (sweet potato) puréed and French fried, colourful vegetables and beet slaw in a vibrant medley of textures.
End with a heavenly apple crumble in a caramel sauce spiked with Newfoundland Screech and be comforted by supporting a culinary phenomenon from which we all benefit.
