Fish Fusion Brings Hutong Vibes and Southern Chinese Seafood to the CBD

If you’re heartsick about the closure of your favorite Hutong hole in the wall, the sign for Fish Fusion restaurant will quickly catch your eye.

Your reaction to the chain’s branch at The Place plaza near the CBD will depend on a few things. Have you grown cynical about the boom of mall dining at the expense of street side mom and pop operations? If so, Fish Fusion might seem like a tacky ploy to tug at your heartstrings, with its Hutong-style-roof tile-and-wire-fence installation at the entryway, or the Lao Beijing style trinkets lining the shelves. 

However, more open-minded diners will be intrigued by the chain’s attempt to go beyond the slapdash atmosphere of many of its Mall contemporaries (cough, cough, Green Tea Restaurant, oh hello there Wan). Fish Fusion’s authentic brick walls (no shoddy plaster substitutes here), soft lighting and overall low key vibe all help considerably in that regard. 

The restaurant’s menu is even more appealing than its atmosphere. It specializes in grilled fish smothered in sauce and served on a pan, which is strange because such dishes are common in southern China, which doesn’t jive with the old Beijing vibe. Nevertheless the fish is quite tasty and comes in varieties like spicy grilled, grilled pepper, and fermented soy bean sauce along with some hilarious Chinglish varieties (Weird Grilled Fish, [怪味烤鱼] anyone?), not to mention a Kung Pao grilled fish that we’d love to try next time.

We ordered an RMB 168 half-and-half tray with grilled 清江鱼/Qingjian fish in soy sauce on one side of the pan, and  fermented soy bean grilled fish on the other, and it proved big enough to satisfy our party of three. Both sides had rich tangy sauce, but they tasted quite similar, so next time we’ll likely order a spicier variety. Regardless, the mix of roasted potatoes on the soy side, and seaweed, tofu, diced pepper and more on the other, made for fine compliments to the tender, juicy fish. It was a bit bony, and your chopstick skills will be slightly tested as you try to pluck the meat off the bones, making for a fun entry-level Sichuanese dish for foreigners.  

While the food isn’t remarkable it is flavorful, satisfying, and reasonably priced. This, plus the fun atmosphere make Fish Fusion a solid option if you're in The Place but your heart still belongs to the hutongs. 

READ: Favorite Sichuan Chain Yuxiang Kitchen Gets a Health-Conscious Revamp in Indigo Mall

Fish Fusion
Daily 10.30am-10pm. No.A9, Guanghua Road, Chaoyang District (134 3660 5621)
双井东柏街10号院5号楼1层106号

Photos: Kyle Mullin