Marc's Fusion Cafe — Restaurant in Rockford Township

Hey Everyone, This place is truly on my top 5 list now! I had such a great time with my friend and was wowed with the size of the rolls! We definitely came in with an empty stomach from the morning and so indulged in the explicit yumminess that jumped around on our my tastebuds. I was so hungry that I forgot to take a picture of their marinated seaweed and cucumber salad with tomatoes. We shared it and it was fun the way we were trying to scoop up the food with our injured hands. Jody was our amazing server who taught us about “inside out” which is the seaweed in the rolls is on the inside with the fish eggs on the outside! We learned something new, how nice! Marc was very busy behind the counter making rolls for his customers. His team worked in sync serving inside his packed place. It’s been a decade since I was there and I will return and bring someone new with me to enjoy the rolls and appetizers. We had the Vegas and California Roll along with the crab rangoon. The crab rangoon when biting into it was so enjoyable! The crunch on the edges was absolutely incredible! It wasn’t a thick wrapper with a little filling no, it was filled up with crab and cream cheese that you can’t help but want to order more! It was so comforting to eat! Now there was another crunch when you bite into the Vegas roll and that was another comfort warm and fuzzy feeling too! I need to come back, like soon and have the same warm, fuzzy, foodie feeling that I encountered last night! I was even brave to ask to take pictures of the table next to me of their dishes which she decided to take pictures for herself too. So people please, come check this diamond of a place out ! We have a high quality chef right under our noses that doesn’t even compare to those...

Service was good and they were able to fit a table of three quickly at 6pm on a Saturday.

I was recommended this place by a friend, who happens to be a cook for a bar. We ordered smoked salmon, rainbow, california, and Marc’s Fusion rolls—combining avocado, cilantro, tuna, and cheese maybe. Not bad, but kind of sloppy. My boys said the sushi was “pretty good.” I also ordered the pork chop dinner, medium. It was charred in several spots. Some of it was well and others medium, so a bit inconsistent. The pieces were massive and that did not disappoint. The mango side dish was excellent. But it didn’t have much flavor and was watery. The rice was undercooked. Two small pieces of asparagus. I was asked if I wanted to add onions or mushrooms. I am not a fan of add ons/extra charges so I said no. Apologies if it wasn’t not extra.

I ordered a “Tom Tom” ginger cocktail with real ginger, lemon, and gin. It was $7 which isn’t the steepest drink you can get, but it was rather unimpressive.

Desert was cheesecake with cherry on top. One of my sons said this was the best thing. It was doused in whip cream, which was probably done for the kids.

The place is kind of dumpy on the outside and not in the best strip mall. There’s a Dunkin Donuts beside it and a few Mexican-American businesses and an “Empire Beauty” business next to it. A “cozy” environment inside, however some things are needing to be updated, like some drop ceiling tiles that are clearly ripped and others that are popping out of the frame. Because they are ceiling items and painted black, some people might not notice.

Total bill was $97, left 15% tip. I may repeat. But probably not...

I was taken to Marc's Fusion Cafe by friends who told me it was a local gem that I had to try. They did not lie! Just wow. Every item we tried was an absolute winner for freshness, flavor, presentation, and perfection.

The Vegas roll was one of the tastiest I've ever had, exploding with an incredible combination of flavors and texture. Crab Rangoon was crispy and crabby with generous portions of crab and the homemade sweet/sour sauce was a perfect compliment. Jim's fusion was an incredible entree, a little bit of everything, yet the distinct flavor of each component was still present. Add a sauce that I couldn't begin to do justice describing (sweet, spicy, salty, tangy, citrus, umami, everything good in the world) and it was just incredible. One of my friends had the filet and she commented that it was likely the best steak to be had in greater Rockford.

Portion sizes were large, we all took food home. Prices were better than I'd expect, especially after experiencing the incredible quality. Service was prompt, attentive, friendly, and personal. This is a small venue and your patronage will be appreciated and personally acknowledged by the staff and/or owner.

Free parking in adjacent surface lot. Come early for a table, there aren't a lot to be had. They also do takeout, and judging by the steady stream of pickups I saw, they must also be doing that right!

It's always great to discover a new favorite. Marc's Fusion Cafe earned that ranking...