fusionista is as unique on the inside as it appears from the outside. from its ultraviolet-lit fish tanks to its astro-turf carpeting and fake bamboo partitionings, the place is kitsch central. i have driven past many times, and finally found an occasion to visit, and with its high rating i thought my partner and i were in for a treat.
unfortunately not. the menu is so comprehensive, it lands up being an exhausting read. as a starter my partner had some steamed pork dumplings. the pastry was a good texture, and served beautifully in a two-tier bamboo steamer, with lemon grass shoots at the bottom which filled the room with a gorgeous aroma. the filling was a bit on the dry side, but we decided to overlook it. the tastiest element of the dish was the sweet, sour and herby dipping sauce. i had a "sushi donut" to start; the rice was well cooked and the toppings were fresh, but other than that unremarkable. again, the dipping sauces were the most exciting aspect of my starter. we ordered 2 main courses: the sizzling duck and the thai lemon grass and coconut ramen soup. the portions were generous. the "sizzling" duck was served on a silver platter heated by tealight candles. perhaps i expect too much, but i would have appreciated the authenticity that comes with a thick cast-iron plate. the skin of the duck was crispy, but the flesh dry and flavourless. the sauce was essentially just oyster sauce and button mushrooms, really nothing exciting or authentic. also, at almost r200 a dish, i expect rice to be served with it, but we had to order and pay for that separately. the soup was tasty for the first few mouthfuls and the noodles well cooked. the broth was overly sweet, lacking balance and the moreish heat that i expect from thai soups.
the service was friendly and quick.
i wanted to suppress my disappointment with the fact that we went out on a monday night, but the restaurant prices itself to be competitive with some of the more high-end asian restaurants in johannesburg and i therefore expect it to be on the same kind of level, regardless of which day of the week it is. while the food was not outright terrible, it lacks the refinement required to justify its price. the underlying "fusion" theme is either very difficult to find in the menu items or it is as off the wall as the decor (see the divider dedicated to asian pizza).
i unfortunately won't be back.