Review Fusion Grill - Winnipeg

Unbelievably tasty boutique restaurant on Academy! So tasty I went twice last week. I had the pickerel cheeks, the bison steak and apple crumble. For me to leave a restaurant full is rare but that's because a lot of food these days is filled with preservatives. This is REAL FOOD so it fills you up. The tastes are unbelievably fresh. I've never had Juniper slaw before and now that I have, I wish it was this instead of Frank's that was on everything. Cooked to perfection, great ambience, helpful and wonderful staff. I'll be back many times over.

Great food, awful service. I tried the bison and future soup and it was great, but the waiter (who was in jeans and I assume is the owner) was really rude when we paid and said that he would not accept my foreign credit card (which did was accepted by the machine once we tried), he even pulled it from my hand. Felt a bit discriminated. This is the worst service I've experience in Winnipeg since I arrived... but the bison was good!

First time trying this restaurant and did so as takeout. The food was incredible! I had the gnocchi and the flavours all worked so well together. When I am in town again I will definitely try something else from here. Highly recommend!!

I don't recommend this restaurant at all! I tried the bison dish and it was good. However, the owner/waiter was very rude. The customer service was awful. The owner behaviour lacked professionalism and felt discriminatory.

Local, local and more local. And an excellent Canadian wine list from both Southern Ontario and Okanagan. Beet salad, paella, boreal forest cake, all most excellent along with sunstone brewed coffee. Friendly knowledgeable service.

When considering cost and current reviews - Underwhelming. Service was equally the same - after asking me if I needed a hand with the wine list, I was told the bottle I was inquiring about would taste like “the grapes that were listed”. Maybe my communication was poor, but that didn’t help me. The other staff member had inaccurate views about what they were serving, telling me a petite tender was also called a “butchers cut”… a petite tender and and hanger are not the same cut. Please reference a butchery chart or consult with your kitchen staff before service. Having serving staff try to tell me I’m wrong about something I’ve spent more than my fair share of time around left a really bad taste in my mouth (see what I did there)…. but seriously a major turn off when staff try to pull that. The beet salad was the best dish our table tried. The beets were grilled, the cornmeal croutons are great with the almond ricotta. Solid spring salad! Staff was accommodating with portions for sharing - we ordered five apps and four entrees for a table of four… something we ordered only came with three portions typically, they adjusted and brought four instead. I appreciated that. Everyone’s entree came with the same vegetables, which again, at this price point and considering the reviews, was an underwhelming surprise. I expect that with a catered lunch, but not with a $50 plate at dinner. My bison entree was lacking in salinity and my smashed potatoes were oily. My family members grass-fed ribeye was 1/2 sinew (at least 4oz) leading me to believe it was cut far to much into the chuck side. Something typical of local butchery, but I’d expect better eyes on whoever’s cutting the steaks coming out of a professional kitchen. More than most, I understand that taste is subjective; but given my palate, wouldn’t return.

This restaurant was between a 4-5 but I ultimately gave them a 5. The food was solid. I did not come out with anything that I felt I must return for. Normally that is a 4. I gave a 5 because of how accommodating they are and with the hopes that their dinner menu would hold something more to my liking. I saw a number of items that caught my eye but was not allowed to order as it was lunch. Normally I would wait to return to up my star rating, but I was happy with how considerate they were to my vegan friend. I feel like if you had an issue they will address it They had a vegan creme brule dessert which was very good. They decorated their desserts with edible flowers. I would have liked to have the explanation as to why we couldn't order from the dinner menu. We were told it was not available with no reason behind it. This is an Established restaurant that has been there for 23 years. My first memory of a visit was in 2006 when I visited all the restaurants in the back of the ciao magazine. The outside looks a bit plain and non descript. It is a nice space on the inside. Service was polite. I do feel I need to return to make sure this star rating is correct. Parking looked like Street parking. I did not notice a lot.

Intimate dine in experience. Celebrated my boyfriends birthday and we loved the service and food so much! Can be a bit pricey but the local ingredients make up for it :)

Went here for my birthday and absolutely loved it! I'm a picky eater but every single dish was presented perfectly with the best combination of tastes! I highly recommend anyone looking for a great dining experience to check it out!

My Travel Group Luncheon was at Fusion Grill today. It was one of the best lunches we’ve had. Not only was the food absolutely delicious & presentation was very appealing but the service was beyond compare. We were treated so well & never felt rushed , Thank you Scott & Staff for such a great experience especially since tonight is one of your biggest busiest nights of the year. Look forward to seeing you again

My husband and I came up from Minnesota to celebrate our anniversary and wanted to try a restaurant we hadn't been to before. We really made the right choice with the fusion grill. Everything was amazing...atmosphere, service and food. Dan had the Arctic char with lemon hollandaise and I had the bison ribeye-neither one of us can remember having a better meal. We now have another reason to visit often.

Amazing Restaurant. Lovely staff, Beautiful environment and the food is Incredible. Exquisite!

This place is amazing! Everything from the service down to the perogies, I highly recommend this place to everyone.

Everything for our appetizer to our desserts were all excellent! Everything was prepared with great care and presentation was impeccable.

Friendly staff, nice atmosphere, amazing menu... I couldn't decide what to order! I had the bison burger...food coma!!! I found my new favorite restaurant!!

Lunch was delicious and service was stellar; thanks for the great experiences! Mushroom soup deserves a special shoutout - fantastic.

We had a Fantastic evening, the food was perfectly cooked and had amazing flavour, the service was also excellent with great suggestions on Drinks and food choices. We will be back very soon!

When a delicious main is the "weakest" part of the meal, you're in for a good night. The perogies were exceptional and the creme brulee was one of the best desserts I've ever had. And yes, the paella was delicious. Good, friendly service. My husband and I had our 10th anniversary dinner here and it was a wonderful experience. Wouldn't hesitate to return or recommend Fusion Grill to anyone who asked.

The place was very nice, the food was hot and good

Awsome service, excellent food and peaceful environment, love it. Thanks Fusion grill

Magnificent!!!

After 100+ days of not attending a restaurant during this pandemic - what a relief to re-enter the world of culinary delights by enjoying a 35th anniversary event at Fusion Grill. Owner (Scott) was cheerful and welcoming, Maitre d' (Rawls) was splendid and elegant, Chef (Lorna) was skilled and masterful. We enjoyed a lovely starter roasted beet salad, we raved over both of our vegetarian gnocchi and vegan black bean cake entrees, and we savoured the creamy blueberry cheesecake for dessert. This is a must-see, must-taste, must-experience restaurant stop for locals and visitors alike. Bring your treasured family members or impress your out-of-town clients. Bret Dobbin Business Advisory Services

We finally made the long overdue trip to Fusion Grill on Academy.   Sometimes the best places are right in your own neighbourhood.    The only regret is why did it take us so long to have this fabulous dining experience.   We started with the Soup of Tomorrow, a Cauliflower cream soup with some fantastic full of flavour dumplings...the dumplings made the soup.   My GF had the Bison which has tender, and full of flavour.  I had the Pike which was also very good.  We love the local ingredients formula, and were 'forced' into trying some BC Reisling which normally we may overlook.   The wine recommendation and the service were terrific.   Highly recommended.

Had the panko crusted pickerel cheeks as a starter and the paella main. The pickerel cheeks were truly excellent and while the paella was very good it didn't hit the outstanding marker as the starter did. Excellent visit as usual to an excellent restaurant.

First impressions, the room is full of sunlight and beautiful local artist's paintings.  We were seated quickly and served by the owner.  The service was excellent, personal but professional.  The menu was very well explained and from what we could see, if the main ingredients could be sourced locally, there were and I like that very much.   We ordered two first courses, mussels and mushroom soup.  Both were very good and appropriately sized.  <br/><br/>For the main course we ordered lamb and pasta.  The pasta was home made and excellent.  The lamb was served with quinoa  and a balsamic sauce was nicely seasoned and grilled perfectly.    We had never been here before, but will return and recommend to our friends.

I have heard great reviews of Fusion Grill and last week, my significant other and I finally paid a visit to check it out on Valentine's Day. When we walked in, we were surprised with how constrained the seatings were. We were placed at a tiny table that had very little privacy as all the tables along the booth were only a foot apart from each other. <br/><br/>For appetizer, we ordered the Perogies that were served with white truffle sauce and duck sausages. For $11.95, the order only came with 3 perogies, which was highly priced. However, this dish was delicious! <br/><br/>For entree, I had the grass fed ribeye steak that was topped with mushroom demiglaze sauce. It was served with Gouda cheese potato gratin and veggies. The potato gratin was very good but not too much with the ribeye.... The ribeye was non flavourful at all, which was exceptionally disappointing.... <br/><br/>For dessert, we had the Apple Crumble topped with vanilla ice cream. The excessive amount of honey that was drizzled on the apple crumble took away the flavour of the apple and cinnamon, ruined the dessert. <br/><br/>My SO and I do not plan to come back to this restaurant in the near future. Although I appreciate the creativity of the menu, the food was okay. However, it was definitely not worth the amount you're paying for. The restaurant is highly overrated for what it is.

The Swizzle Styx dined here yesterday and overall it was good. The food was delicious, the only negative is really, really small portions. We had the mushroom soup (so yummy), Caesar salad (excellent but so small), smoked Arctic char (good), the Reuby (good), yam fries (very good), and pickerel cheeks (very good). Service was excellent and it's a really cozy little spot, just a very limited menu with pretty tiny portions.

The service was classy and elegant, the ambiance and artwork was beautiful and welcoming. I ordered the rib eye steak and my boyfriend had the duck on a whim, we were notified that the duck took more time but it was worth the wait! Exquisite meals, my steak was perfect and the portion sizes were just right, with fresh tasty vegetables. The duck was a new experience for us and I can't remember tasting a meat that was so rich and delicious. Best place in the city for a fancy date night, we'll be back indefinitely

We used to be a big fan of Fusion until we ordered delivery through Skip The Dishes. After spending over $100, you will quickly realize that the portion sizes and relative value is massively overpriced. Whatever you do, don't order take out or delivery. We did and it was a huge mistake - cold food and tiny portions.  We will not be dining there ever again.

A Winnipeg blog about the joy of preparing food for loved ones and the shared joy that travel & dining brings to life. Fusion Grill, River Heights, Winnipeg. Fusion Grill is not exactly in my own backyard but pretty close-a block and a half walk away.  The cafe’s close proximity actually makes me guilty about not dining there more often as owner Scot McTaggart is an old friend of ours from a time when we all worked together at a popular restaurant.

Fusion Grill is not exactly in my own backyard but pretty close-a block and a half walk away.  The cafe’s close proximity actually makes me guilty about not dining there more often as owner Scot McTaggart is an old friend of ours from a time when we all worked together at a popular restaurant. Scot’s culinary philosophy has always been a passion for “local”, years before the trend was in vogue.  Scot once shared with me that his wish has always been a simple one: “to sell carrots from my own backyard.” He recalled raiding a garden for carrots and scraping off the dirt with his hands.  He remembered the sweetness and the crunch and added “even the dirt tasted good.”

The food here was absolutely fantastic - the vegetarian vs meat options are great. There really is something for everyone. My only complaint would be the service. My husband and I are in our mid twenties and the rest of the patrons were probably 40+. We found that we were ignored by the staff for the majority of our meal while EVERYONE else was engaged by the staff properly if not over and above what you would expect to have at a restaurant. We weren't even asked how our meals tasted until after we had paid, and it was "how was the food?" even though the waiter was on to something else before even hearing our response. It just felt a bit ageist. We usually come here for our anniversary dinner as the meals are great, but the last couple times we have run into this and it had been quite disappointing.

Always great. Went for lunch, duck pate is amazing, pike had so much flavour. Potato salad was good, could have done with less mayo and more herbs.<br/>The lunch menu could use a shot of creativity. Pretty standard stuff, but good.

Pricey, overrated, a little dated. I know this place has been a longtime neighbourhood favourite but I have never been that impressed. The service was incredibly slow and when I asked about our meal the waitress tried to suggest that this was the European approach where people linger over their meal. The difference was that we were sitting for a good forty minutes with no food and empty glasses. For this money you can get a much more sophisticated meal somewhere else.

Lunch Time!. Went there for lunch with a friend. It was my second time there. Last time I wasn't blown away, but I didn't think it was bad either. But I can't remember what I had the first time so I won't comment on it.<br/>This time I had the "Reuben". I put that in quotations cause it's barely like a reuben. It had pickled ginger and the beef wasn't very much like roast beef. You can tell it was some serious local bred beef. Super think and chewy. Anyway, it was a strange combination but it was seriously one of the best sandwiches I've ever had. Also had the cream of mushroom soup that was very good.<br/>Service was also very good. There was only one other table of annoying Real Academy Housewives so the server had lots of time to talk with us.<br/>When I go back I don't know if I'll bother trying anything else. It was that good.

Best Sushi in Winnipeg. We ended up going because we were told it was great and wow... Was it ever. I can't do sushi everywhere because of freshness but this was amazing... Live uni, who does that... Amazing... Real wasagu beef... You can't get this but you can here... Amazing... Best new spot for me.

Don't waste your time and money.. After having an unpleasant experience a few years ago with friends, I decided to give the place second chance as my wife had been curious about the place. Well, I'm sad to say things have not gotten better, in fact worse. The menu is very pretentious and does not deliver in quality nor taste as claimed in the ads. The worst part though unfortunately is the owner/waiter(who waits tables at their own restaurant anyway??? I guess he needs the tips lol). His behavior comes off as rude and pretentious and maybe doesn't realize how transparent it is. It didn't help that the whole restaurant could hear him speaking to his staff. The way he was speaking to them, it's a wonder anyone stays working there. As I can see from other comments about him , there are plenty of people that share that opinion. All in all, don't waste your time and money.

Best Fine Dinning Experience (Even for Vegans!). It has been a real challenge trying to find a fine dinning experience with vegan options. I'm not overly excited when I go out and the waiter says, "we can grill you some nice veggies on rice." If I wanted veggies and rice I would have ate at home lol I found this great restaurant that had a vegan option right on the entree menu! And WOW, amazing flavor and a good portion size! The chef is extremely talented and works from scratch, she even "veganized" the phyllo mushroom appetizer without any issues. Probably the best experience I've ever had with service. Our waiter was quick, courteous and extremely helpful! Will definitely visit again...and again... Just make sure to make a reservation as it is a smaller restaurant and fills up quickly!

HOMEMADE GNOCCHI W/ MUSHROOMS ON ANOTHER PLANET. I had the elk dish , my life partner had the bison. The mushroom sauce that covered the homemade gnocchi were not of this world, nay this lifetime. I arrived an athiest and left a believer. The mushrooms left me breathless literally on the verge of climax. Go here. EAT. Our server was the owner, never have I encountered a more passionate human being doing what they LOVE every day of their lives. Keep on rockin' in the free works Fusion Grill, keep doing you. Will be back, time after time.

Spectacular food, poor service. The food at Fusion was exquisite, I began with the beet salad, which was tasty, and ordered the pan seared pike with hollandaise as my main course. The fish was cooked perfectly and every component was delicious. My boyfriend ordered the duck confit and was very happy with it. We dine out on a very regular basis and would probably return to Fusion at least once a month, if it were not for the moderately disappointing service.<br/><br/>We had made a reservation on a Saturday and showed up 10 minutes early, luckily we were seated right away (this venue is tiny and only holds 12 tables), but we waited over 20 minutes to place our first beverage order. Then we waited another 15 minutes to receive our drinks. Our server was pleasant, but clearly very busy, and she appeared to be serving every single table in the house. There was also a younger staff member present, who functioned as a "helper", running food and drinks. The main server also doubled as the bartender. It doesn't take a wizard to see that this is not an ideal setup on a busy Saturday night. (as mentioned, they take reservations and were full that night; we noticed a couple showed up without a reservation and were turned away as they were already fully booked for the evening)<br/><br/>I felt that the price for the food was more than fair, because you get what you pay for... and as I mentioned, it was delicious. However, good and attentive service is also a crucial component, and this is where Fusion fell flat for us.<br/>Each time we ordered a drink, we continued to wait 15-20 minutes to receive them. This is a problem that could easily be solved by scheduling two servers to work on a Saturday night when you know you will have a full house, or at the very least, a server and a bartender... along with a "helper" to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Having worked in the restaurant hospitality industry for the past 14 years, this was glaringly obvious to me, as it should be to anyone with significant serving/management experience. The inattentive service was really a shame, considering how immensely we enjoyed the food. I've given Fusion a "thumbs up" review based on the food alone, but I can assure you we will not be rushing back anytime soon.<br/><br/>Having said that, our server and the "helper" were both very friendly and knowledgeable of menu items, so I am of the opinion that this is a management/owner issue. Speaking of which... if the owner is a younger man, I believe he was there that evening as well, running out plates of food from the kitchen when the "helper" and main server were busy. While I enjoy seeing restaurant owners being very hands-on in this regard, it was not enough.<br/><br/>The owner should consider scheduling another server during the evening dinner rush on Friday and Saturday nights, a 4 hour shift for $10/hr is nothing and would improve business and sales... also would probably result in better tips for both servers working. Personally, attentive service is my main criteria for deciding whether to leave a 15, 20, or 25% gratuity. My boyfriend and I would have also ordered another $40 in drinks if they hadn't taken so long to arrive. Just some food for thought....

Superior fine dining experience. Had dinner at the Fusion Grill while on vacation in Winnipeg. This meal goes on my shortlist of most memorable and delicious meals I've ever eaten. It ranks right up there with the Jules Verne in Paris. For the starter, we had the Heirloom Tomato and Avocado Tempura Salad (heaven on a plate). For the main, we had the tender bison, done to perfection. For dessert, we had a delicious cheesecake with coffee. My compliments to the Chef, Lorna Murdoch, for an amazing meal from beginning to end . The Owner/Waiter, Scot McTaggart, is very selective in sourcing local ingredients and that combined with the talented and experienced Chef made this a superior fine dining experience. The ambiance is hipster/elegant with table linens, candle light, and comfortable mid-century chairs. The wine list is very complete and you can count on Scott to assist you with the food and wine pairings. There is nothing the staff won't do to make you comfortable. The meal was well-paced and not rushed. We loved it so much that we cancelled reservations at another restaurant so that we could have dinner here one more time before leaving Winnipeg.

Wow ordered the "new" reuban, one half of my sandwich had next to no mea on it, the other half ha slightly more but next to nothing else. I honestly could've bought the ingredients for less money. I should have ate at saucers for lunch, consistency is key.

This restaurant is AMAZING! ***** Five stars!<br/>Not only did the food taste sublime, we had the best service! <br/>We ordered an assortment of dishes to share and they separated the dishes onto individual plates for us and presented the plates beautifully! We had a fantastic restaurant experience with incredibly friendly and accommodating service!

Absolutely wonderful! Service & food is exquisite! A must go to restaurant!

Doesn't like it. The owner, who is also the main waiter has an attitude.So watch out! Anyway, the decor needs a lift and the old, rusty 60's chairs were so uncomfortable to sit on. As someone with back issues, I couldn't sit there for long. Moreover, it is not wheelchair friendly. Be careful going down to the bathroom aka the dungeon which is so unsafe!

Locovore Spot Since Before the Word Locovore Existed (really!). Fusion Grill is a shining example of how to be a great restaurant in Winnipeg. This is not a city for fussy $200 tasting menus and flash-in-the-pan food trends don't usually take hold here. Fusion is exactly the right fine-dining formula that works in our city. And while their dedication to eating what's available right in our backyard might be seen as being trendy, they have actually been promoting Manitoba's homegrown treasures since day one, long before it was a trend. Everything here is great, and I think the experience is also really educational to many diners. When you realize the diversity of great food that's growing in your backyard/swimming in your lakes/roaming your prairies, you take that knowledge home and your eyes are opened to all these beautiful products that have been in front of you the whole time! You can taste the passion for their mission in every dish they serve, the menu shows just how thoughtful and and true to their home they are. The wine list is just incredible- they are doing such a service to the Canadian wine producers who otherwise might be overlooked solely based on the region they're from. Canadian wine is not a novelty, it can be great. And never, ever pass on the soup of Tomorrow!

Thumbs down.... Went for lunch today with a group of ladies. I had the NEW Ruben Sandwich with the Caesar salad. It was questionable whether it was actually corned beef. The bread was so dry and could only eat part of it. The so called cheese was non existant as was the sauce. The "meat" did not even cover the bread slices....Would not go there again and could not recommend it. Two thumbs down.,<br/><br/><br/>-----20 May, 2014-----<br/><br/>Thumbs down.... Went for lunch today with a group of ladies. I had the NEW Ruben Sandwich with the Caesar salad. It was questionable whether it was actually corned beef. The bread was so dry and could only eat part of it. The so called cheese was non existant as was the sauce. The "meat" did not even cover the meat slices....Would not go there again and could not recommend it. Two thumbs down.,

Mad Hatter. We went to Fusion Grill Tuesday night, first time after almost 10 years. Place was full, surpassingly for Tuesday night. We got seated promptly; servers showed up within 5 minutes with menus. It was smooth sailing from there. Food was served at the perfect pace. We had wild mushroom soup (very good), white truffle perogies with duck sausage and walnut cream sauce (to die for); duck confit and elk tenderloin were main courses, both perfectly executed. We wanted espresso with the desert and waitress informed us that that they do not have espresso machine. Owner showed up few minutes later to check up on us and we start bugging him about not having espresso machine. So he walked out to Starbucks around the corner and brought us espresso each . Only and minor complaint was that white chocolate crème brule was a bit too sweet for my taste. We really enjoy it; won’t be waiting for 10 years to go back.

I went here for the ciao dine about winnipeg. My best friend ordered the, pea soup, braised lamb shank, Apple cobbler. He says it was excellent. Service was just good and he would come back. <br/><br/>I had the beet salad, the Pike, and creme Brule. It was amazing, not too salty. Presentation on both accounts was outstanding. The service was really good. <br/><br/>This place is good for small dates.

Was not going to write a review after visiting the restaurant in the summer, but after consideration, felt it was warranted. Went with a group of four people and was quite looking forward to going to this restaurant.<br/><br/>The portions were very small overall for the highly priced items. Something as simple as bread was not offered during dinner. The mussels were very dried out. Multiple beer options were not available, even though offered by the server. The service was very, very slow.<br/><br/>At the end of the meal, an error occurred with the credit machine and the tip did not come out as intended. The owner came out and made a joke about it and actually made me feel like an idiot in front of my friends and those around us, even though he knew it was an honest mistake.<br/><br/>That last interaction with the owner that is self-proclaimed as being very 'charismatic' on his radio commercials, affirmed the fact that we will never visit his restaurant again. Anyone that ever asks of where to go, Fusion Grill will not be one the options provided. I see that a response is provided by the owner in each instance a review is made and am very much looking forward to the 'charismatic' response the owner will provide. Thank you.

Dinner for 1. I travel around Canada frequently for work, and take pride in trying unique and higher end places throughout the cities I find myself in. I recently became aware of Fusion Grill through a friend's recommendation and decided to cap my work trip in Winnipeg off with a visit.<br/><br/>I was greeted by a friendly hello and seated near the kitchen. The owner, Scott, immediately took up conversation and seemed to express a genuine interest in my time in Winnipeg as well as detailing the various offerings on the menu.<br/><br/>I had the Beet Salad to start and a glass of BC white wine (on recommendation) and the two paired beautifully. The Beet Salad was both flavourful and subtle in its delivery and I could tell I had made the right choice. For my Entree I had the Manitoba sourced Northern Pike. I am accustomed to preparing my own fish, however Fusion Grill's unique curry rub opened the sharp flavours of the pike very well. Accompanying the fish was a grilled vegetable medley and smashed baby potatoes.<br/><br/>The only weak point in the meal came at dessert with a slice of cheesecake which felt a bit out of place in an otherwise perfect meal. Not to say it was sub-par by any means, just did not taste fresh.<br/><br/>I will absolutely be returning to this small and well-run restaurant, and recommend anyone looking for a step-above experience to try Fusion Grill.<br/><br/>Regards,

Always an Amazing Meal. I absolutely LOVE Fusion Grill, and I recommend it to everyone because this place has it all: great atmosphere, cozy dining room, knowledgeable and attentive staff, amazing wine list, allergy-awareness, vegan options, etc. I am always delighted with my meals here, and since the menu changes throughout the year, there is always something new and delicious to try: vegan tourtiere, panko-crusted pickerel cheeks, seafood chowder, etc. Fresh, local ingredients complete the experience. A must-try restaurant that will please even the pickiest of eaters. Simply amazing.

First and last time. 6 of us went for dinner. The service was painfully slow and it wasn't a full restaurant. The soup was very nice but it all went downhill from there. The mussels were small and dried out. The pasta portion was ridiculously small for the price. The paella was smushy. Had to ask and pay for some white bread. Only 1 of the 6 of us actually enjoyed their meal. We will not return as there are many better restaurants in Winnipeg.

Our all-time favorite. My wife and I always come to Fusion Grill for special occasions. It's our favorite restaurant in Winnipeg. We often come for lunch, and just love the yam fries -- extremely crispy with lovely rosemary. Entrees are great and the service is always excellent.

Had dinner here last night & would go back in a heartbeat! This little place probably only had 10 or so tables but it was packed by the time we had our food. It's fancier than you'd think which was a nice surprise. The staff was very friendly, the decor was simple & pretty, and the food was amazing! Seriously. I ordered the pickrel cheeks which came on a bed of yam frites & came w/ pickled fiddlehead tartar sauce - my gawd the whole dish was delicious! I also had the spinach strawberry salad which was also very yummy. The two people i was with each had the chicken dish which i sampled :) - moist, tasty, perfect. The artichoke ravioli that came as a side to their meal was the best ravioli i've ever had. I wish it was on the menu as it's own dish!! Prices were on the higher side but not unreasonable. Cannot wait to go back and try some of the other dishes!

Poor excuses. Visited their website to make reservations for mother's day. Their site said they do not do reservations so we decided to go right at opening time to make sure we got in. Were first people there and the hostess informs us that they did mother's day reservations this year but didn't put it on their website. Not impressed, will not bother trying again

You must try this place!. It's is the first time I write a review. I felt compelled as Fusion Grill was one of the best restaurants I've been to in Canada (and I've been to many). Food is amazing, service is top-notch. Worth the 5minute drive from downtown! I bet if it was in the downtown core, it would have hundreds of similar reviews. Can't wait to be back in Winnipeg to visit this restaurant.

Re-Opening but chintz on ingredients. My wife and I typically go out for Chinese or Vietnamese food, but for a change took a couple of friends to Fusion Grill (April 6, 2013). The place was packed and all looked well. After waiting in the space in the renovated basement - nicely done washrooms - we were called up to be seated. Along the wall, in front of the counter, my wife took the bench and I had the chair. Even with my chair tucked in, I felt as though I was in the way of traffic. My wife found the bench a bit lacking in cushioning. With the full house and close seating, don't expect any privacy, and those with less than perfect hearing may find it difficult to maintain a conversation. Our friends soon showed up and were seated. Within 1 minute of sitting down on the bench, our friend expressed how hard the bench was. The owner must have exceptional hearing because he heard the remark, and "kiddingly(?)" said "You're the only one who's ever said that." And offered to seat us at the corner round table that had just been cleared. The change was a big improvement. For starters, the ladies both ordered the soup - nicely prepared and both were impressed. A nice bottle of house wine - better than the average selection of house wines; several Italian restaurants seem to try to get rid of raffle wines, or discount batches - this bottle was "good". The meals arrived in good time, and reasonable portions - if you had a snack or light meal about no less than 3 hours prior, then you should be ok. Otherwise, you might be licking the plates. Priced in the low thirties per plate, at least you won't find overly large plates with chocolate swirls. I can only speak for my plate - the duck breast with sea buckthorn glacé or something to that effect - nicely prepared, although not exceptional; the duck breast amounted to about half the size of an average chicken breast, but at least it was compensated by nicely prepared fried chicken thigh-&-leg. The one notable disappointment for me was the pouring of my beer; I had to wait seemingly 10 minutes before the foam subsided enough for me to get a swig. All in all, it was a good night out. Would I recommend this place? Certainly, if you're gainfully/professionally employed and make at least one Starbucks visit every day, do yoga and maybe even take some health supplements. Otherwise, I'd say you can get similar quality cooking and food without the pretence of a wordy title for the dish from a different place - (mine should've read "fried chicken, with a hint of duck breast...). Otherwise check this place out just so you can say you've been there.

My family all love this restaurant and would be thrilled to eat here every day of the week! The portions are so generous and tasty i can rarely eat dessert but usually take one for the team and order one anyhow. Thanks so much for having great service and fabulous food!

This is not something I would normally do; that is write a review in an online forum such as this. HOWEVER, we had such a shockingly bad experience last night at Fusion Grill, I felt compelled to speak out. And the disappointment is only magnified after hearing so many good things.<br/><br/>The place: tiny, wobbly table directly beside the entrance. Drafty.<br/><br/>Service: didn't get watered for 20+ mins. Our server was clearly trying but it was apparent that he was in over his head and getting killed. The bus girl or whatever she is served little to no purpose whatsoever. Appetizer plates sat on our table for 15 mins or more after we were done. Clueless. Server literally hovered for fear that we were going to pull a dine and dash as we cleared out. Tacky.<br/><br/>The food: in a word, pedestrian. Scallops okay. Pickerel cheeks I could do better at home. Had to ask and pay for bread. Main we split and there was literally three bites each of the beef. And oppressively, mind blowingly expensive!<br/><br/>This place is clearly riding cachet, location and loyal clientele. I can eat food that's actually good for half the price while getting good service. <br/><br/>Highlight of the night: leaving.

Delicious!!. The food here is my absolute fave in the city. So fresh and delicious. I have had lunch and dinner there many times and I have never had anything I didn't like. All the servers are attentive and quick. This is my go to place in the city and I don't think that will ever change :)

I can't believe I haven't heard anyone raving about this place. I must travel in the wrong circles. So impressive! - delightful atmosphere, intricately composed cuisine, attentive staff. New favorite upscale restaurant.

Tiny Treasure. Dear Fusion Grill your white truffle perogies were so good I actually cried! I wish you were not so expensive but you do things so well I know you're worth it. Anyone who did not like this place clearly did not have the white truffle perogies. In all fairness I've only been here once (you are an expensive little indulgence) so I cannot comment on your entire menu. I also did not care for the dessert, but I blame that more on letting the waitress talk me into getting what I didn't want and then wishing I had what I wanted to order. More my fault than the foods. One thing Fusion has is a small intimate setting that is hard to come by in an upscale place in the city. Most smaller places are little ethnic hole in the wall joints and this place is a shabby chic fine dining experience that is sure to give your date that special intimate feeling with its sleek and charming small space. It's also likely to be somewhere they haven't gone before so it is a treasure worth unearthing for a special night (the awesome wine list won't hurt that special night either). I hope you enjoy the space as much as I did... and do get the white truffle Pierogies.<br/>Much Love <br/>-The ChubbyDumpling

Food So Wonderful, You'll Overlook the Decor. The lunch menu is extraordinary. It contains lunch time classics along with some house specialties. Their take on a Reuben is my favorite. The "Soup of Tomorrow" never disappoints and the price for this caliber of food is something you will not find elsewhere in Winnipeg. Dinner is where they shine. We have never had duck confit prepared perfectly...until we ordered it at Fusion. A wonderful destination for out of town guests as the majority of the food is sourced locally and the wine is all Canadian. I would visit this restaurant more if the décor was updated. The seating is uncomfortable; it could use a paint job, new flooring and some more light.

Tasty start to Dine About Winnipeg 2012. We were at fusion grill for dinner last night for Dine About Winnipeg and found the meal to be delicious. I had the Salad Trio appetizer and Pickerel with red quinoa for entree. My husband had the frites with truffle aioli appetizer and the Bison Cassoulet for entree. We both really enjoyed our meals. Tasted great, served promptly, and well worth the price.<br/><br/>Dessert is where restaurants often let me down, with big expansive descriptions and then not so good food but the cookie and truffle plate was wonderful. I could have eaten just the cookies all night and been happy. My husband had the dark chocolate creme brulee and would have been equally happy to have just eaten that. <br/><br/>I also had a very good pot of Earl Grey Tea. I emailed the restaurant this morning to ask the brand of tea and received a prompt reply. <br/><br/>We will be returning to fusion grill.

Little gem. Yes, this place is a kitchy looking hole in the wall, with random decor, wall to ceiling stucco and only a few tables... it reminds me of Europe. But what it lacks in decor it more than makes up in food and friendly family-style service. We had a hard time narrowing down our menu choices, there were so many amazing options! Everything we ordered was spectacular and inventive, without being too daunting. We had the duck sausage and white truffle perogies and the tomato salad with pea shoots and tempura avocado for appetizers and the roasted duck breast w/duck confit and the braised manitoba bison ribs for mains, followed up by the earl grey creme brulee and whatever brownie thing my husband ordered; all of it was amazing. Our server was friendly, helpful and attentive and with so few tables, it was very intimate.

Really looked after us! They squeezed us in even when they were packed. Food was creative and perfectly executed. Lots of great flavor with a beautiful attention to detail. I highly recommend.

Okay food, good for lunch. Went for lunch on a Saturday. The cheeseburger has good flavour to it but was a little burnt. The caesar salad was good as a side but what kind of restaurant doesn't serve normal fries?<br/>The Club was tasty, with real turkey breast and good quality bacon. The yam frites were overly seasoned. <br/><br/>Good for lunch but at the dinner prices I wouldn't go back for dinner unless the food quality improved.

Well done , food is good , local cuisine , local products , should be on diners , drive ins , and dives.

Very Disapointing. My husband and I decided to try Fusion Grill on a Friday for lunch because of the special $10 lunch specials in August. One would assume that these specials were created to get you to try the restaurant and come back later for the regular menu.<br/><br/>Well, we both had the "Pulled Bison Taco", my husband with soup and myself with the market green salad. The soup was very good. My salad was inedible. The greens were tough and bitter and the dressing was unpleasant and tasted musty. <br/><br/>The "taco" was really a wrap. The meat was cold and dry and tasted off. I ate literally 2 bites of wrap and 1 of salad and left the rest of the plate. The server did not ask if anything was wrong when she finally came over to clear the plates and offered to pack up my leftovers. Leftovers? I did not eat this at all. I was angry and I guess I should have spoken up, but I was really hungry and just wanted to go home and get something else to eat.<br/><br/>So $30 for the garbage can and I won't be going there again.

Completely lost. Fg has been around for awhile, so we thought we'd give it a try.<br/>the decor and tables/chairs should have been a warning for what was to come.<br/>unwelcoming staff, wine we wanted was not available.<br/>make sure you don't need to go to the bathroom while you are there.<br/>the food was nice, but not worth the cost.

It was alright.. I rate this place 3 out of 5 stars.<br/><br/>This place is really small. Chairs and tables are arms length away (literally). I believe there is too much waitresses (3-4). <br/><br/>The food itself tasted ok. I don't think its worth it for the price ($15-$30)<br/><br/>Servers were very nice and at the end of the night they gave us a small treat. white chocolate ball covered with sprinkles of truffle.<br/><br/>Recommed this place if you don't mind how small and old their interior is. MAKE SURE you make reservations 24-48 hours ahead of time.

Never Go Back!. I have left another review in detail on Tripadvisor and I won't waste my time to go into detail here. But what a waste of money and time. We froze our asses off in this place and because the service and the the time it took us to get our food only prolonged the agony. What a dump!

I like it because the service is friendly, the menu looks good, they have a great wine list featuring Manitoba producers and Canadian wines and it's very clean. However the pink pastel walls and retro vinyl covered chairs make the decor look like a senior's home. Also, my veggie burger was bland, the bun crumbly, could have used a sauce and was overall boring. The accompanying yam fries were tempura-like and pretty good, but again could have used and a dipping sauce maybe an aioli. The local artist paintings of the rolling fields and lakes of thr quappelle valley were great, but clashed aginat the pastel walls. Overall I'm fairly nonplussed about the whole experience. Being a vegetarian I doubt I go again due to lack of choices, but besides that, because of a bland decor. It's worth I try, and the food, service, and wine list might trump the decor

Excellent!!!. We ate dinner here last week after attending the Fringe and loved it. Really interesting food and great service. Loved the pickerel cheeks and the bison tenderloin! Will definitely go back.

Very disappointing. My first dining experience at Fusion Grill was great! It was back when locally sourced regional cuisine was still a new if not niche area. After that nice visit, I returned for another meal soon after but the service I received can be summed up as "condescending." We were served a cold bison dish (not room temp, but cold). So when we asked if it could be heated up, the manager leaned in close to my bf and said in a very condescending voice "well, if we heat it up, it won't be medium rare anymore." In a tone that was like "the meat will be warmed up but don't complain when the bison comes back well done instead of how you asked for it." We never asked for a discount or to be comped, we just wanted the meal the way it was suppose to be!<br/><br/>But I am not one to hold onto grudges so I decided to return here recently after several years of boycott.<br/><br/>But my first annoyance came early. My bf called to make a reservation at a specific time but the man on the other line told him that it couldn't be done at that time and made him take a much earlier sitting. When we arrived that night, it was dead. Diners came in sporadically (most were walk ins) and the place was barely half full by the time we left. It just seemed like he wanted us to eat earlier in case he had more late walk-ins.<br/><br/>Their website seems to be well maintained yet the online menu is very different from the actual menu (on the SAME DAY). Once again, this is annoying because I decided to try this place after seeing some specific dishes that piqued my interest.<br/><br/>We chose the 4x4 tasting menu, $45 for 4 courses.<br/><br/>First: a nice starter with 2 small panko crusted pickerel cheeks, creme fraiche and pickled fiddleheads. The flavours were balanced and really, who doesn't like pickerel cheeks? The other course was the crispy grass-fed beef dumplings with noodles. The dumpling was fried well and piping hot inside but tasted like an average Asian dumpling.<br/><br/>Second: White truffle perogie with duck sausage with a walnut cream sauce. I thought the cream sauce overpowered the entire dish. The truffle oil is a nice touch but should be used sparingly. The tomato and arugula parmesan salad was fairly pedestrian. The unfortunate part was that the kitchen used tomatoes right out of the fridge - the tomatoes were tooth numbingly cold! Keeping tomatoes in the fridge kills their flavour. So that dish was a huge disappointment.<br/><br/>For the main, I had the duo of beef. A three ounce or so tenderloin sits on top of a heaping pile of mashed potatoes which is then set on a small pile of braised beef served with carrots and asparagus. I love beef duos but this one didn't do it for me. I hate to sound foo-foo but this was a muddled dish of flavours. It's one of those dishes where there are different components but everything ends up tasting the same (I had a similar experience at Mise). The beef was cooked correctly but the sauce didn't taste appropriate for the dish. The potatoes fluffy and deliciously well seasoned and a delight to eat. The other main was the northern pike with fresh herb in white truffle vinaigrette, spinach and wild mushroom demi-glace. Once again, I like truffles but it shouldn't be added to any dish just cause it's trendy to do so, but because it complements and enhances the flavours of the dish. The scent of truffles is very earthy and overpowering especially in this pike dish.<br/><br/>For the last course, I had the mascarpone cheesecake with Saskatoon berry topping; it was a rich and dense cheesecake - always a plus in my books! The warm apple crumble with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream was warm and yummy.<br/><br/>Our server was great - very friendly and warm. I'd like to suggest that the server describe the dish to the diner. Any tasting menu I've ever had, the servers always describe the dish to you when they serve it.<br/><br/>The restaurant is very loud when it's full and when it's not, you can clearly hear your neighbour's conversation as the tables are set very close together. Overall, my disappointment with Fusion Grill is that they charge big prices for "quality" ingredients but yet there are so many glaring mis-steps. I wish them well and I know they have a big following but with so many great restaurants in the city that provide a far superior experience, I won't be dining here anytime soon.

This restaurant is. In my top five favorites in Winnipeg. I have been here a few times and I have had almost everything on the menu at least once. I would recommend... everything!

My favourite restaurant!. I am consistently amazed at how exquisite the food tastes here. Just when I think it can't possibly get any better, it does! The wait staff are friendly and can almost tell you the family history of a particular morel on your plate since the mushroom collector brought them into the back that morning freshly picked from the forest. It just doesn't get any fresher or tastier than at this fantastic restaurant! It is one of the few establishments that actually give more in quality and service than they charge.

Unbelievably delicious. Love this place. Best tasting food, culinary masterpieces, portion sizes are normal and not huge. They clearly look at quality over quantity. A great choice for a special occasion/night out.

Wonderful little restaurant. The food is fresh and local. Expect to spend some time as the food is cooked to order . The scallops are delightful

Academy Street Niche. Local ingredients, good lunch menu, don't be in a hurry, not for the light wallet, great soup and yam fries, renowned Canadian wine menu with tourist pricing, polite waitress from the small town southeastern MB, distinguished customers of a middle-aged generation. Now you know... it is a nice place, but it would only be exceptional if you dove into the expensive menu items.

Amazing food!. I went at the Fusion Grill with a party of 5. Service was very friendly and professional. The food amazing. Ask questions about everything in your plate. You will be amazed by the attention to details and the freshness of the products. While it is true that the decor needs to be freshened up, I strongly suggest you get over that and look at your plate and at the people you are seating with. I had the fish cakes and the duck. Delicious. The wild boar cassoulet looked very good too. So did the grass-fed beef tenderloin. The paella was a bit over-spiced to our taste. The all-canadian wine list is packed with very interesting choices. for example, you can have a superb Osoyoos Larose grand vin. Close your eyes and you are tasting a great Bordeaux. It took a lot of research to put together a wine list like this one. Give it a try. I will certainly be back to that restaurant on my next visit to Winnipeg. Worth every penny. And desserts.. . crumble and brownie : the perfect finish to an excellent diner.

Décor sucks! Small, crowded and noisy. Expensive.

This was an excellent meal from start to finish. I will certainly be back. The decor needs to be updated.

What a meal! Where to begin to sum up? The service was faultless, (discrete, timely, knowledgable), the environment busy and lively and tasteful, the food was simply perfection, the wine excellent (and so much affordable choice). I did not think it would be possible (after so many disappointments whilst dining out at $30 entree-style establishments) to leave a restaurant after a two hour dining-out and spend the entire walk home enthusing (rather than complaining) about the experience.<br/>

I particularly liked the smoked goat cheese, which I described as tasting like “campfire, but in the best way possible.”

Here is what Peg City Grub says about the rationale behind their “ Homegrown Trail “: Ask a Winnipegger where to get the best home-grown eats and you won’t get the same answer twice.  That’s because the definition of Manitoba Regional Cuisine doesn’t fit into one tidy sentence.  Pickerel, bison, wild berries, wild rice are local favourites found on menus across the city.  But that’s just the beginning.  From ethnic eateries to greasy spoons, from food co-operatives to upscale dining rooms high above city streets, chefs have their own takes on the food found on Manitoba’s prairies, lakes, forests and wetlands.  On this tasty trek across Winnipeg, you’ll sample some of the province’s staples in their traditional and modernized forms.  You’ll taste our past and present, created by some of the city’s most talented cooks. It was impossible for me to get away on the media preview of Tourism Winnipeg’s “Homegrown Trail” but having been on a couple of culinary trails in Stratford Ontario last