Super Fusion Cuisine II — Restaurant in Watertown

The past two decades have particularly shaped my view of Japanese cuisine. The trips to Tokyo, Kobe, Osaka, and Sapporo/Hokkaido truly changed my understanding of Japan, their people, and especially their cuisine. I became even more particular when I became close friends with a Japanese sushi chef of three decades - a true shokunin. So it shouldn’t be of surprise that I’ve became severely biased against non-Japanese owned/run (especially when it comes to sushi/sashimi/yakitori) restaurants. It shouldn’t be of any surprise considering that over these decades I’ve also observed undesired shortcuts and inferior techniques that are quite upsetting due to the contradiction to the art itself.

However, this may be one of the few exceptions - one of very, very few that I’d ever openly admit to.

I first tried this place almost two years ago after reading about them on Eater Boston while originally searching for a reputable omakase spot in the area. I was curious. The name itself was already a giveaway that they weren’t Japanese owned. But I couldn’t resist the temptation to just even partake and see what they were made of. And I honestly was happy I even gave them a chance.

As always, there were always methods that I turn to for assessing restaurants. Here, I usually would either order a chirashi (to quickly see the range of their fish and freshness) or a tekkamaki (a staple and standard). And within the same week, I ordered both and more. I was really curious as the range of fish they delivered on the plate was absolutely fresh. Sure, I always have mixed feelings when I see a piece or two of escolar on the plate. Obviously, I still ate it…but as the last piece and only if all the other slices were immaculate. But when I saw their tekkamaki as it arrived, I smiled. They know what they are doing. They really do.

Perhaps, one of the good things about being a slightly cheaper sushi spot is the turnover as the fish will always be fresher on your plate. And in this case, a rare exception to the general rule, cheap isn’t exactly cheap on what you get. It might just be because it is also the culture of the group behind this masterpiece. Cheaper means accessibility that even groceries nowadays make us think twice. And they are willing to just do it for the sake of driving traffic in through the doors and be ambassadors for a now much-loved cuisine that often becomes quickly too expensive for the regular folk (for reference, I average $80-150 before drinks alone elsewhere).

All those words and all I really wanted to say is…they are non-Japanese and they have broken my bias and made me a regular. Also to Vicky, who has always providing absolutely amazing service, thank you and see you around soon. Best wishes to all the staff and the restaurant...

Alright bros, heres a shout out to a restaurant too good to not right a review. Honestly one of the best sushi restaurants I've been to hands down. Everything is always so fresh, and the tuna is out of this world! The chefs are super friendly there, especially Sam! The specials they have are usually on point as well. Usually I try to stay away from specials at other restaurants because I've heard rumors about how they might be trying to get rid of old food, but here its really just used as a really good deal for the customer! You basically get to try a speciality maki that would normally cost more but is cheaper just for that day! Its also a great choice for those who don't know what to get or have already tried all the actual specialty maki's and want something different. I've already been here several times, and I even successfully converted some of my friends to make this their go to sushi spot. Only thing I wished was if they had a location right in my city (I live in all the way in Somerville...

I recently tried the Coconut Tuna Entree at Super Fusion Cuisine, but there was a bit of a mix-up. Instead of tuna, I got Chrissy Chicken in my dish. It seemed like they just swapped out the meat by mistake, because the rest of the dish was exactly for Coconut Tuna: sweet potatoes, rice, zucchini, etc.

When I realized the error after getting home, I didn’t really have the energy or time to go back and ask for a change. So, I decided to give the chicken version a try.

Honestly, the dish didn’t really hit the mark for me. Everything seemed kind of bland. The zucchini, sweet potato, and even the chicken felt like they were missing some spices. I ate it, but it wasn’t something I’d say I enjoyed.

I didn’t order sushi this time, but my friends did. They seemed pretty happy with their choices. From what I could tell, they really liked it.

Hopefully, next time things will be better and nobody mixed up Tuna...