Head to These 5 Venues for a Fusion Food Experience

Fusion food is a dynamic dining experience that opens doors to new ways of thinking about ingredients, presentation and taste, providing Chefs with a blank canvas to create dishes that transcend conventions.

Combining elements from different culinary traditions to create unique and flavourful plates, head to one of these five restaurants to discover the art of fusion dining:

Culinary excellence meets global flavours at Sage Yellowfin restaurant on Little Stanley Street in South Bank. This Brisbane venue sources the finest ingredients from local produce suppliers and markets to create a memorable Modern Australian dining experience in a stylish vibe of blue walls, glowing cane pendent lights and polished wood.

 

Dive right in with seared Tasmanian scallops, sweet corn purée, dill and nduja oil, or grilled Mediterranean chicken skewers with mustard yoghurt and sumac pickled onion; then devour slow-braised beef cheek, cauliflower purée, roasted potatoes, persillade sauce and crispy kale, or blue swimmer crab lasagne with crustacean bisque, burnt sage and bottarga.

Discover your local, for locals, by locals at Birdcage Dining Room & Bar on Tedder Avenue in Main Beach. Embark on a journey across the continents from the Mediterranean to the Orient at this Gold Coast dining destination, where a stunning fit-out of vibrant red, orange and blue, along with filigree panels and velvet banquette seating, set the mood for memorable meals.

 

Order a signature Blackbird cocktail and graze on double-fried karaage chicken with garlic, ginger, sake, mirin, soy and chilli mayo; perhaps a pulled pork bao bun entices with honey soy glaze, while those with larger appetites delve into crispy pork belly, roasted chat potatoes, dried chilli, spring onion and Singapore black pepper sauce.

It’s a street food love affair for Melbourne diners at MasalaJo on Victoria Street in North Melbourne. This Indian fusion restaurant has a minimalistic vibe of polished concrete, blond wood and a bicycle on the wall, along with white subway tiles and a counter covered in posters.

 

Join a lively local crowd over plates such as a parmasala – Panko-crumbed chicken schnitzel, masala-infused sauce, bacon strips, mozzarella, spring onions and fries – or a scorcher burger with double Wagyu patties and American cheese, double crispy bacon, lettuce, red onion, pickled red chilli, creeper and signature sauce, on a toasted brioche bun.

Discover street food heaven from around the globe at Street Taste on High Street in Preston. Located in Preston Central, expect a moody vibe of subdued lighting, vibrant murals, exposed brick and recycled timber as fairy lights twinkle overhead and you ponder a menu delivering mouth-watering BBQ meat and gourmet tacos to delight the senses.

 

Begin a culinary adventure to remember by sharing classic nachos with cheese, salsa, sour cream and guacamole, or chow down on battered barramundi tacos with gaulilo crema, fresh peach, rhubarb salsa and pickled cabbage; perhaps salivate over slow-cooked beef spare ribs, with housemade BBQ sauce, street fries, salad and house pickles.

Indulge in a perfect blend of classic and modern cuisine, inspired by vibrant flavours from the Mediterranean to Southeast Asia with a refined twist at Ladybird Restaurant & Bar on Sea World Drive in Main Beach. Expect one of the best waterfront dining experiences on the Gold Coast as you take in stunning sunsets surrounded by luxury private yachts, sipping a cocktail of choice on the terrace, or head indoors to indulge all the senses.

 

Expect fusion offerings like housemade red curry with roast Maryland duck, pulled and confit mushrooms, broccolini, lychee and toasted coconut, along with spaghettini with pickled crab meat, chilli, garlic, coconut cream and toasted sesame; those looking to share may opt for whole lamb shoulder with garlic, rosemary, red wine jus and sides of duck fat potatoes and charred broccolini.