Fusion Bistro on Madurai-Karaikudi Road, surprises with its assorted tastes and flavors in the Chettinad heartland
Fusion Bistro on Madurai-Karaikudi Road, surprises with its assorted tastes and flavors in the Chettinad heartland
Tucked away on a side street inside Ashok Nagar in Karaikudi, this is one of the most unexpected addresses for fusion dining. When you walk into the parking lot outside the 40-seat eatery, the courteous staff reach out with folded hands and ‘hello’ on their lips and you immediately feel there is something different about the place; No wonder Fusion Bistro has become a center of attraction for diners in a short span of time.
Step inside Fusion Bistro and the owner-cum-chef David Amirtharaj is very keen to complete his gastronomic adventures. Adventure This is for two reasons. He had come home on leave from Australia where he was working when COVID-19 struck and soon his father succumbed to the pandemic. David says: “I could not return to my job leaving my mother alone. Starting a new venture was the best option.
Fusion Recipe Baked Vegetable Augertine | photo credit: special arrangement
Combining Chettinad’s knowledge of domestically flavored spices with his years of training and experience abroad – mainly in Italian and some other cuisines – David dares to offer variations in dishes that are unique and familiar in his hometown. Both are. “In Karaikudi, both locals and tourists look for native and spicy, non-vegetarian dishes, biryani and cozambas. I chose to experiment,” he says.
The casual and clean living over the next hour was all a fusion of fresh and fun, with the dishes and dishes presented to me over the next hour. The Japanese dynamite prawns were marinated in an 11-ingredient (chef’s secret) sauce, giving the shrimp a unique flavor while still remaining crunchy. Together, a warm bowl of Coconut Thai Curry Lemon Grass Prawn Soup was light and delicious.
Fusion Food Spicy Tandoori Oven-Roasted Lobster | photo credit: special arrangement
Chettinad Chicken Ravioli Pasta was a master-blaster of fusion with a great flavor combination. Local fennel seeds and black pepper flavors were infused inside smooth ravioli pasta tossed in spiced cream cheese to make Chettinad Chicken. In the land of Mutton Biryani, I felt David’s Lightly Smoked Hyderabadi Dum Chicken Biryani become a rage for Laal Maas and Kebabs just like Lobster and Salmon. Everything is a feast. In desserts, the coconut bavrois, a creamy coconut custard with kaffir lime leaves, was simply mouth-melting.
Delicious Dessert Coconut Bavarois at Fusion Bistro | photo credit: Soma Basu
David captivates diners as he gazes intently at each table to see what effort has gone into behind each dish. The symphony of spices and textures is sure to delight you, and that’s because you don’t expect such things in the region. Moving on to a narrow footprint, David features a good number of items from the kitchens of Two Worlds that he has expertise in. And he successfully proves that when you have the passion, nothing limits the quality or imagination that food preparation and presentation can achieve.
how to reach
Travel time from Madurai to Fusion Bistro at Alagappan Ambalam, 2nd Street, Ashok Nagar, Karaikudi is approximately 1 hr 45 mins. Open on all days from 12 noon to 3 pm and 6 pm to 10 pm.