Fusion Fare Restaurant - Santa Cruz (CA)

5 /5 Andy Ng: Seems like a Sichuan spot has finally settled into this little corner of Downtown Santa Cruz after a few turnovers, and I am here for it. With Chinese music playing in the background to the inclusion of art and red elements, my mouth was ready for the fire. You seat yourselves when not busy and order by scanning the QR code to pull up the menu (and pay in the end). A huge plus for all the clearly marked vegan options available! At least a third of the menu is marked vegan and gluten-free, which helps a lot to make the offerings more inclusive. We first wanted their lunch special but were informed that it only applied to weekdays (something not formally written). I figured as much but it wouldve been great to get those deals on a Saturday. We ended up going for their Sichuan Numbing Noodles and the Stir-fried Lotus Root and Veggies. Everything is marked as being spicy but Ill be honest and say... it couldve been spicier lol. The numbing noodles had great flavor. I love drinking water afterwards and feeling like my tongue can taste the spice. They dont use wider noodles unfortunately but the thinner rice noodles work just as well. If I were only getting the noodles, I would add tofu to give some protein. The lotus root dish itself was also great and wouldve really gone well with rice. Glad to see this be a part of the downtown selection and hope they continue to do well.

5 /5 Asia Perpetua: Do you like Szechuan flavor? Do you like explosions of yumminess like little fireworks in your mouth? Then this is your place! For flavors that will keep you coming back for more youll need to dine here at Fusion Fare. We ordered everything (pretty much) and ate in house as well as take-out. All of it is super good. The portions are great and the service is awesome. Very authentic and traditional tasting fare for both vegan and gluten-free eaters!

5 /5 Chevy Bello: First time in this restaurant. Their servings are pretty big so plan on sharing. We ordered salted egg fried rice, mapo tofu cheese, spare pork ribs, and beef noodle soup, then they gave us complimentary sesame balls for dessert since they said that our order is big. Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious! Comforting soul food. The beef noodle soup helped soothe my sore throat after screaming in the rides of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk haha.

4 /5 rachana karri: Good food and great service! I tried the coconut chicken rice and garlic miso noodles , both were flavorful and tasted fresh, though a bit on the milder side for spice. The portions were good, but it’s definitely on the pricier end. The host was super sweet and welcoming, which made the experience even better. Overall, a nice cozy spot in downtown Santa Cruz if you’re looking for something comforting and well made!

1 /5 Georgina Anaya: It is possible that my husband and I did not select the best dishes; however, overall we were disappointed with the food. My husband ordered the braised chili chicken special, which according to the menu includes a leg quarter. The menu did not indicate that the leg quarter would be chopped, resulting in a dish that consisted largely of bones. I ordered the rainbow salad with tofu, but unfortunately the tofu was very tough and had an unpleasant, rubbery texture. Regarding service, the restaurant appeared to be understaffed and seemed to prioritize the Red Room over dine-in guests. Clean utensils and water were not readily available. That said, the staff member on duty appeared to be working very hard under the circumstances. Our total was $52, including tip, and given the overall experience, we did not feel it was a good value.