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Fusion Hut has been open for about a year but it has mostly flown under my radar until now. This is mostly due to its ambiguous name that left me confused as to what it actually sells. Fusion can mean anything and sometimes restaurants will use that word a little too liberally to the point where it doesn’t mean anything. After being invited by the team to visit, I found out that it offers what it describes as “South Indian Fusion food”.

Previously, this was Masala, a humble Indian takeaway that offered the classic British Indian takeaway experience. It was a nice little restaurant but it really struggled to stand out in the competitive Mitchams Corner area. Fusion Hut, however, aims to offer a more exciting menu with a variety of dishes not commonly found in your Indian takeaway, like Indo Chinese to Sri Lankan.

My first impression of Fusion Hut is how colourful and modern the restaurant is. It has a vibrant and fun feel, and the sort of place you want to spend time in. It also has actual tables inside, so you can have a full meal if you wish. It definitely feels like a step up from Masala already.

Masala Chai

We started off with some delicious masala chai while we studied the menu. The first thing you notice is the menu size but do not fear, as this isn’t a restaurant that is trying to spread itself too thinly, but instead has lots of different choices for a selection of carefully picked dishes (for example, 9 different types of biryani). Prices seem about right, with nothing jumping out as expensive, which is a refreshing change for the Cambridge city area.

Papadums and chutneys

We started off with some papadums that came presented in a nice basket with three condiments placed on a wooden board – yoghurt, onion salad, and mango chutney. Portions were small to modest and I would have liked to have seen some lime pickle but I couldn’t deny that everything was well prepared and tasted great.

Popcorn Chicken

For starters, we had some popcorn chicken. These were absolutely magnificent, with a nice crispy skin and a sweet sticky coating glazed all over. It is a very fun and accessible dish designed to share between friends. I would definitely order this again…but all for myself 🤣

Masala chips

Generally, I’m not a big fan of masala chips. I find that the masala makes the chips quite soggy and spoils any crispiness that you would expect from eating them. These however, were probably one of the better examples I have seen of the dish. If you are a fan of masala chips then you will likely love these.

Naga wings

We were treated to their signature wings that come in two flavours – a spicy naga and buffalo. These are apparently one of their biggest sellers at Fusion Hut and it is easy to see why, as they are served on skewers adding a fun element but the chicken was also incredibly soft and juicy. Look at that colour!

The naga fell short of the spice levels I would expect but still managed a medium spice level.

Mains

Handi Beef

For me, the undisputed champion of the evening was the Handi Beef. This is an authentic Bangladeshi dish that is made with 22 different spices and marinated for 24 hours. It is then cooked in a rather fetching clay pot and brought out bubbling noisily, adding a real life and vitality to your dining experience.

To see the dish bubbling in all its glory then click here.

The beef was still on the bone and just fell off with minimal effort and had a real thick buttery flavour that just made it impossible to put down.

This is a must! 🤩

Adraki Lamb Chops

Lamb chops was another strong contender for the best dish of the evening. It is served on a pan and is garnished generously with spring onions and herbs. They were cooked and covered in a small amount of masala sauce that added a real delicate flavour of ginger, with a spicy kick to boot. It really brought everything together and the lamb was tender, as well as being a generous portion.

Biryani

Their signature Zam Zam Biryani was another delicious dish that also came out served in a clay pot. The chicken is cooked while still on the bone, adding even more flavour. When I picked up the chicken leg from the Biryani, you could tell how soft and tender the chicken was just by looking at it. I don’t think it quite keeps up with some of the heavy hitters of biryani in Cambridge, like The Brook and Namaste but it is definitely worth checking out and nobody will leave feeling disappointed.

The Rajasthani Laal Mas is a feisty lamb dish with an attractive red colour that comes from the red chillies it is made from. It was absolutely delicious with some beautiful cuts of soft lamb floating in the dish. The spiciness was a little lacking and didn’t quite match my expectation considering it was described as “hot” on the menu but I would still consider it a medium with a mature spiciness that slowly built up through the dish.

Seafood Sri Lankan curry

The seafood Sri Lankan curry was a refreshing change from lamb and beef that was starting to feel a bit heavy. It came with king prawns, basa, salmon and white fish. It was light, creamy, and came with a slightly sweet flavour, no doubt credited to the coconut milk.

Other little gems

I absolutely loved the Bombay Tawa Sabji. A simple dish made from seasonable vegetables, that consists of carrots, green beans, baby corn and pepper, all fried on a tawa plate with their signature spices. All the veg was satisfyingly crunchy and the dish was versatile enough to go with anything on the menu. I highly recommend giving this one a go!

Fusion Hut’s take on the humble Saag Aloo was also very good. The potatoes were soft without being mushy and the spinach portion was generous without being soggy. The balance was great and worked well as a side to the curries available while also adding a bit of colour.

When you have so many beautifully presented dishes all mixed on one plate you are rewarded with a meal of vibrancy and beauty! Aesthetics is not something to be overlooked as the first bite is with the eye!

There’s a lot to be excited about

I didn’t really know what to expect when I first entered Fusion Hut, as the name of the restaurant doesn’t really give you much to go with, but after leaving I found myself a big fan. It is predominantly an Indian/Bangladeshi restaurant and takeaway but if you explore the menu you will find all sorts of exciting dishes from all over the continent.

The food is colourful, visually beautiful, and full of flavour. It may struggle to please the hot heads who are after super spicy vindaloo’s but otherwise my experience was a faultless one that I am confident will have something to please everyone.

I wondered at the start of this review whether Fusion Hut would be able to stand out from the stiff competition of Mitcham’s Corner and I truly think it does.

Thanks for reading