Fusion foods create eclectic eating experiences

The Miami Roll (left) features tuna, salmon and tempura flakes. The SuViche Roll (right) has a mixture of crispy shrimp, avocado and tuna. Hallee Meltzer // Assistant Photo Editor

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Fusion cuisine serves as the cuisine for the indecisive, combining different culinary elements and traditions into one dish. Call it the melting pot of food or the food explorer’s final frontier; either way, fusion food reflects the cultural diversity of Miami in its best light. With fork (or chopsticks) in hand, take a look at what we think make the cut as Miami’s best fusion restaurants.

Sugarcane Raw Bar & Grill

Located in Midtown, Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill calls upon influences from the around the world, not just one in particular.

“When composing a dish, we focus on either one culture, technique or seasonal ingredient and highlight its elements,” Executive Chef Timon Balloo said.

Items on the menu include dishes with influences from South America, Asia and the South, like the flap steak on a robata grill, tamago eel coconut roll and Balloo’s favorite, the duck and waffle crispy leg confit, with duck egg and mustard maple.

Since Sugarcane focuses on seasonal ingredients, the menu is always guaranteed fresh.

3252 NE First Ave., Miami 33137

SushiSamba Coral Gables

Known for blending Brazilian, Japanese and Peruvian flavors, SushiSamba off Miracle Mile offers dishes like sushi, robata (items of food slow-skewered over hot charcoal) and ceviche. Treat yourself to a pre-weekend night out with their “SambaHour,” offered Monday through Friday from 4-7 p.m. and 10 p.m. to closing, with seven-dollar drinks and dishes.

180 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables 33134

Pubbelly Sushi

Take Pubbelly Boys Jose Mendin, Andreas Schreiner and Sergio Navarro and add Yuki Leto and you get Pubbelly Sushi, a gastropub-sushi fusion hangout. Each dish this group serves has a sense of true grit, taking visitors on a new palate adventure. Whet your appetite with dishes like the Bigeye Tuna Roll, Maine Lobster New England Style Roll, Porkbelly and Clams Roll or lobster ceviche. If the restaurant isn’t too packed, turn your meal into a feast and ask for the Pubbelly menu too – they’re right next door.

1418 20th St., Miami Beach 33139

Ortanique on the Mile

Consider Ortanique on the Mile as Coral Gables’s resident “island getaway” dining experience. Named after a rare citrus fruit, Ortanique on the Mile refers to its food as “cuisine of the sun” in reference to its Caribbean roots. Dishes like West Indian Style Bouillabaisse, Jerk Chicken Penne Pasta and the Homemade Cinnamon Atlantico Rum Cake pack a punch. The dishes come in big portions, so bring a group of friends and turn it into a culinary adventure.

278 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables 33134

SuViche

Located in the heart of Wynwood, Miami Beach and Brickell, SuViche’s cuisine reflects the vibrant, diverse neighborhoods that the restaurant calls its home. With Peruvian and Japanese influences, SuViche offers items like the Miami Roll and the SuViche Ceviche made with Japanese spices, for the ultimate Sushi and Ceviche experience. If spending a night in Wynwood, venture to SuViche’s Pisco (a type of Peruvian or Chilean brandy) Bar, the first of its kind in Miami, and try a Pisco with one of their homemade Macerados (infusions) for a new tasting experience.

2751 N Miami Avenue, Miami 33127