Fusing culture in each bite
October 11, 2017
Bringing new, original combinations of two distinct cultures to the table, fusion food has made a name for itself and established a hold in popular cuisine. From Chinese burgers to cheesy kimchi, fusion food has been growing in popularity, opening more and more restaurants serving unique mixtures of cultures.
Cafe Ganul 2
With a promising menu serving a melting pot of different cuisines, Cafe Ganul 2 offers a bizarre array of fusion foods including Kimchi Bacon Fries and Corn and Hot Cheetos Mac & Cheese.
Cafe Gunul 2’s interior design is alarming, with paintings of cartoon characters dressed provocatively. The actual meal, however, left less of an impression than the art did. Although the menu’s barrage of strange foods made me want to order every food listed, my actual meal left me hoping for something more fulfilling at a more reasonable price range. In the end, I ordered “Da best Kimchi Pasta” for $16.99 and pork belly slices in three different sauces for $25.
The kimchi pasta was tasty, and the tender noodles were served in a flavorful creamy sauce. While the plate was delicious, the meal didn’t live up to my expectations, as there was a minuscule amount of actual kimchi in the pasta. For the most part, it tasted like a traditional cream-based pasta, without a significant trace of the strong sour flavor of kimchi.
Unfortunately, the pork belly slices left me disappointed as well. The meat was not particularly tender or flavorful, and the sauce tasted like regular hot sauce. For a shocking $25, neither the size of the meal or the lackluster quality made up for its price.
Due to the mediocre food of the recently opened store, Cafe Gunul’s exciting menu was not enough to guarantee future visits to check out the other fusion foods they offer.
Love Letter
Offering traditional cheesy pizza with Korean toppings, Love Letter in Rowland Heights combines the familiar savoriness of Western food with a unique Korean twist, elevating the dishes to a new creative level.
Love Letter serves a $12.99 medium-sized pizza and a $15.99 large pizza topped with choices such as sweet potato, bacon, bulgogi, chicken and potato. Although the 20-minute wait time can be excessive, customers are rewarded with a comforting, greasy cheese pizza covered with a unique mix of Western and Korean toppings. The chain also serves fried chicken and chicken wings, varying from $7.99 to $12.99, with various sauces such as sweet chili, lemon pepper and buffalo.
As a huge fan of both pizza and bulgogi beef, I thought the pizza combination was a innovative work of art and was completely satisfied with my meal. The pairing of the salty yet sweet Korean bulgogi and the savory cheese pizza was delicious, although I would have preferred more bulgogi on my slice.
The sweet chili fried chicken was tasty as well, with tangy and spicy flavoring accompanying the satisfying crunch of the perfectly crispy chicken.
Although its dishes lean toward the pricey side, Love Letter offers a perfect fusion of Italian pizza and Korean flavors, providing customers an opportunity to taste two of their favorite cuisines in one bite.
Midoh Japanese Kitchen
Tucked in Diamond Plaza, Midoh Japanese Kitchen’s name is a misnomer, as the restaurant serves a blend of Japanese and Western food. The store’s menu offers an original mix of different cuisines, such as udon served with various pasta sauces, katsu and cheese steaks.
I ordered the Basil Sauce Udon for $10.80, and my mom ordered the Premium Beef Tongue Steak for a whopping $21. All the meals came with a miso sauce covered salad and a choice of miso or creamy corn soup.
My udon pasta was covered in a pesto-like basil sauce and was surrounded by a moat of tomato sauce, bacon and eggplant. While the grainy and flavorful basil sauce matched the udon noodles, eggplant and bacon perfectly, the strong sour flavors from the tomato sauce seemed out of place, and I avoided mixing it into the rest of the meal.
Although expensive, my mom’s beef tongue steak tasted professionally made, with melt-in-your-mouth tender meat soaked in rich creamy sauce. Paired with potato slices and carrots, the steak was incredibly tasty and one of the best cooked pieces of meat I’ve ever tried.
We ended the meal with a light and sweet matcha tiramisu for $5.50. With fluffy cream layered on dense bittersweet matcha cake, the dessert ended the meal on a perfect note. While not a huge portion, the quality of the cake was well worth the price and encouraged future visits.
Satisfied and impressed with the meal, I will definitely pay a return to Midoh for the restaurant’s tasty food and eclectic menu.
