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BEST CALAMARI FUSE NEW AMERICAN CUISINE
This squid is a study in perfection, springy but not tough, with just a rumor of breading and a generous lemon wedge on the side.
3317 Cinema Point, 574-8003 fuseamericanrestaurant.com
 Fuse sets off sparks
By NATHANIEL GLEN THE GAZETTE
March 16, 2007 - 12:36AM
The foodie revolution has finally reached that most generic of boulevards — Powers.
It arrives in the form of Fuse, a “new American cuisine” bistro serving strawberry goat cheese salad and chipotle pesto in a strip mall between a burger joint and a multiplex.
At its essence, Fuse is an economy-class Blue Star — the Toyota Corolla to the downtown restaurant’s Lexus. If the menu lacks the luxurious features and precise engineering, it still manages to pack a number of enticing options into a sleek, affordable package.
The one-page menu ranges from buttery grilled artichokes to cedar-grilled wild salmon. It’s a welcome addition to the city’s east side, which has been spinning its culinary wheels for too long on bland chains that tend to value caloric shock and awe over creativity.
Fuse is immediately inviting. Candles flicker in well-placed nooks. Local photography dots the rich ochre walls. Everything from the tables to the plates to the music exudes an understated hipness. The only clues that the place was recently a Mexican restaurant are the ceiling of exposed vigas and the generous house margaritas ($7).
The food is a notch above anything in the neighborhood and the service is some of the best in town. On a busy night, a server swung by with a complimentary plate of corn bread, still steaming from the oven. When we looked up in surprise, she said, “A big table just ordered and it may be a while. I didn’t want you to get hungry.” The cornbread was sweet and delicious, with a perfect caramelized crust, and the entrees arrived right on time, anyway.
When a vegetarian asked if she could have the chipotle pesto pasta without chicken, the server said, “You should try it with portabella mushrooms. We did that for the first time a few days ago, and it was awesome.” She was right.
Chef Amy Sheldon has put together a smart, hard-working, tasty menu. The calamari ($9) is a study in perfection — sauteed until springy but not tough, with just a rumor of breading and a generous lemon wedge on the side. The hummus ($6) is a blend of white beans instead of standard chickpeas, which lends it an unexpected creaminess complemented by a light confetti of cucumber and tomato and fat wedges of smoky grilled flatbread. The herb-roasted half chicken ($13) is a classic bistro delight done right. Slow cooking turns the skin a crackling bronze and makes the moist meat slide off the bone.
The chef lets the salmon with cider mus- tard glaze ($16) leave the kitchen a bit rare — a bold move, and in this case, the right one.
The chipotle pasta ($11) is a bath of creamy sauce over penne brimming with the sharp, ancient flavor of smoked jalapeños and enough melted white cheddar on top to make stealing a forkful from a dining companion a stingy but worthwhile move.
A few things need tweaking:
The sirloin flatbread ($12) — a sliced steak served over a bed of spring greens, roasted red peppers and gorgonzola, all on a platform of stiff flatbread is unnecessarily hard to eat. Picking the whole dish up like a tostada is asking for trouble. Eating the salad and steak first lets the bread get soggy.
The Strawberry Fields salad ($7) is a fun combination of greens, candied almonds, goat cheese and berries, but it’s too big to be an appetizer and too bare to be an entree.
As we were finishing dessert of croissant drizzled in chocolate, owner Rodney Lane made the rounds, asking how everything was, and telling us he thought enough people on the east side yearned for a place to sit down for an hour for a great meal to make the business work.
At the windows behind him, crowds thronged into the multiplex, but we hoped he was right.
If not, Fuse is hedging its bets. On some Thursdays, it hosts speed dating.
 http://www.csindy.com/csindy/2007-02-15/appetite.htmlAppetite
Fused and enthused:
New independent bistro makes mark on east side
by Matthew Schniper
If you’re seeking dinner before a flick, drop into Fuse.
In a judicious manner, Fuse owners Rodney and Julia Lane boast "reasonable prices," "comfort food" and "something different to the Northeast side of the Springs" on their Web site.
But let's be clear: Affordable, creative food served by an independent restaurant situated amid rows of corporate chains is not just "different." It's groundbreaking.
On this Cinema Point shopping center site, the Lanes previously ran Hola Southwest Bistro; they decided to shift concepts and remodel in November. From an abundance of fried fares they turned to "new American cuisine," a diverse hodgepodge of casual, classic and gourmet items on a still-selective menu.
Fuse looks savvy: The black-tableclothed dining and bar area sits underneath a stained log ceiling and within contemporary burgundy, yellow and chocolate stucco walls, adorned with local photography. One suggestion: add blinds to the east-facing windows that look directly at Cinemark's neon movie marquee.
At our first dinner, we began with the crispy fried calamari ($9), served generously atop spinach with a tangy lime butter and corn relish. Perfectly textured and deliciously spiced, it disappeared too quickly. Fortunately, we'd also ordered the Strawberry Fields salad ($7), which with greens, strawberries, almond slivers, goat cheese and just the right amount of strawberry balsamic vinaigrette, even an uncouth Beatles-hater would like.
For entrées, we tried the cedar-grilled wild king salmon (at $14, the priciest menu item) and Fuse chipotle pasta ($10), each tasty and fulfilling. The apple cider mustard glaze worked well on the fish, which was served alongside rosemary-rich new potato wedges. The creamy chipotle pesto penne, with chicken cubes, melted white cheddar and fine-diced sun dried tomatoes, nailed the mark for spice and flavor.
With only two options for dessert — a rum vanilla pineapple upside-down cake or a glorified bread pudding — we opted, as always, for the one with chocolate. The croissant anglaise arrived with three types of melted Ghirardelli, including a white chocolate — against which I admit a bias, since it's not really chocolate at all, and usually adds too much sweetness instead of sophisticated richness. There are no presentation frills when you break a croissant and drizzle the pieces with chocolate sauce, but the satisfying dose of sugar recalled French bakery fares.
On our second visit, we started with the sweet corn bread with honey butter ($3) and grilled buttery artichokes ($7), served spiced with red pepper flakes and a delicious aioli dipping sauce. We then shared the shrimp tostada stack ($11), comprised of three corn tortillas layered with rice and baby shrimp in a citrus-dominant cilantro wine sauce, by far the most dynamic aspect to the dish.
To sample the sides, we tried a mix of healthy and guilty food: a fair portion of the sautéed spinach, garlic and portabellas ($4), and the most satisfying and perfectly crisp french fries I've perhaps ever had. The great American skinny fries ($2), served heaping and next to ketchup, alone make for a reason to visit before or after a movie.
Sure, snooty downtown-centrists and west siders will forever sneer at the land beyond Academy and Powers boulevards, fueling the prejudices seemingly inherent to the Springs' geographical dichotomy. But at least now there's a bold example of a fish swimming upstream to flaunt the stereotypes.
— matthew@csindy.com
 YourHub.com \\ Powers \\ Stories \\ Food & Drink Gazzette-The Hub Contributed by: Rodney Lane on 1/12/2007 Can't Re-Fuse It might be a little too dramatic to say that Fuse is a pioneer on the east side of Colorado Springs, but it would be fair to say that this concept is definitely infusing some new excitement and variety to the dining community. With a newly remodeled interior (formerly Hola!) and an exciting new menu, owners Rodney and Julia Lane have racheted up the ambiance of this space while still keeping it casual and quaint for couples, groups and families alike. The couple operated Hola! for about 2½ years, and although the restaurant had gained a pretty loyal following, especially on the weekends, it wasn't the kind of restaurant they ultimately wanted or thought would be a long-term success six days a week. They were interested in evolving into something a little more upscale, eclectic and intimate - a restaurant that could be a destination for couples, groups or even families on weekdays and weekends and provide the kind of ambiance where it wasn't too loud and people could relax, talk and enjoy good food. It's the first restaurant the couple has owned. But Rodney opened two independently owned ones in Washington, D.C., and was the creator, co-creator or consultant on a couple of start-ups or existing independent concepts. Although the Lanes feel like Colorado Springs is their home (because they are here all the time), they live in Castle Rock and commute. When this opportunity arose a few years ago, the couple already lived in Castle Rock but was really drawn to the growing east side's potential and felt the center was the future foundation of that side of town. The two wanted to be a part of that growth and development and have truly enjoyed serving the people in that community. Fuse invites everyone to enjoy food that ranges from chipotle chicken pasta to cedar plank salmon to roasted chicken with mashers. Truly a perfect location to enjoy a great meal with friends and, perhaps, take in a movie next door. Type of cuisines: American Comfort Food Price range: $9 to $15 for entrees. http://coloradosprings.yourhub.com/Powers/Stories/Food-Cookin/Story~169856.aspx
Entertainment/GO!
January 19, 2007
New fusion The owners of Hola! at 3317 Cinema Point (First & Main Town Center) have reopened the eatery as Fuse New American Cuisine. The menu features dishes including chipotle chicken pasta, cedar-plank salmon and roasted chicken. Hours are 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday. http://www.gazette.com/display.php?id=1328969&secid=8 |
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