The College Voice

Kenji Fusion on route 33 in Hamilton has justifiably received rave reviews from many locals, but if you're expecting brother restaurant, Kenji Fusion 2 to be exactly the same, you will find it leaves a lot to be desired.

Kenji Fusion 2, located on Rt. 130 south of Hamilton, is clearly popular based on the busy crowd it has at 6:30 on a weekend evening, though it could be busier. The menu is extensive, drawing inspiration from French, Japanese, and Brazilian cuisine. Fusion 2 offers a wide assortment of hot and cold appetizers, soups and salads and sushi and sashimi. Also included on the menu is a overwhelmingly long list of main courses, as well as a raw shellfish bar, multi-course tasting menu and a kid's menu.

The first major problem is that the server taking orders is not the same person who delivers the food. Patrons are forced to switch plates due to the fact that the person delivering the food who don't know who has which dish. While this might be expected at a mom and pop restaurant or low level sport bar, it doesn't make sense in a restaurant that charges up to $30 for an entrée. The communication problems were summed up in one incident observed during this reviewer's visit: a couple was asked by a server if they'd care for dessert or prefer the check to which they responded "we haven't eaten yet."

While the shrimp tempura is expertly fried, leaving a light, crispy coating which brings out the sweet flavors of the shrimp, flavors of the accompanying kochujan sauce and wasabi aoli were too subtle and left the dish tasting flat.

The lobster bisque, regardless of how tasty and tender the chunks of lobster floating in the soup are, leaves the senses disappointed. The dish lacks the hints of saffron and creaminess necessary for any bisque and instead reflects as much taste and texture as Campbell's condensed tomato soup made with water, shellfish stock and too much salt.

The highlight of the restaurant is its sushi which, although should be served colder, is rolled skillfully with perfectly cooked, tender sushi rice.

Other dishes lacking the "oomph" implied by the price tag are the osso bucco - a veal dish - which at Kenji Fusion 2 is served as an extremely fatty cut barely worth the $22 price tag and the Brazilian BBQ which feature charred chicken and overly-fenneled lamb sausage.

The saving grace of the dessert menu is the deep-fried cheesecake which consists of a huge mound of gourmet quality cheesecake battered in tempura and deep-fried to a golden color yet retaining a molten center. This dessert is pure heaven on a plate but mostly the restaurant does not deserve the hype.

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