Wait: We arrived at noon on a Friday and were seated right away at a table by the window.

Service: Our server was impeccable; refills came quickly and after every course of our meal arrived, he stopped by and made sure everything was prepared to our liking. Owner Jennifer Long — who exuded warmth and kindness — also checked in with us and thanked us for giving Fusion a try.

What we liked: Although I was tempted by the calamari and crab cake appetizers, my companion wasn’t wild about seafood so we opted instead for the chicken quesadilla. Served with fresh slices of avocado and sour cream, the quesadilla, stuffed with jack cheese, grilled chicken and green onions, was pure appetizer perfection — and perhaps the highlight of our entire meal. We also enjoyed our hearty sandwiches, the wildberry turkey sandwich with cranberry sauce and the spicy grilled chicken and avocado sandwich with jalapeño mayo. Of the two sides we sampled — potato salad and fries — we couldn’t stop snacking on the latter, which my companion deemed “A+.”

Scene: Modern and simple yet warm and inviting, the dining room is decked out in cool shades of greyish blue and silver. Framed mirrors and floor- to-ceiling curtains — which separate the dining room from the entryway — give Fusion a sophisticated feel.

Bathroom break: Spotless and well-stocked, the single unit featured potpourri and a few decorative baskets.

Tab for two: $40 with tax and tip for chicken quesadilla ($5.95), wildberry turkey sandwich ($5.95), grilled chicken sandwich ($6.95), bread pudding ($5.95) and two iced teas ($1.95 each).

If work weren’t buying: Good food, gracious service and a sophisticated ambience without the high-and-mighty air of some Scottsdale eateries. What’s not to love?

By CRYSTAL PETROCELLI
Get Out

Wait: We arrived at 7 p.m. on a Sunday and were greeted by the bubbly-but-not-annoyingly-so co- owner/operator, Jenlyn Long, who offered us a nice window table.

Service: There were three people total working on what's typically a slow night for Fusion. As luck would have it, the Old Town Scottsdale restaurant was much busier than expected and I happened to stop by. No matter, Jenlyn and her chef/co-owner husband Matthew Long (with the help of an assistant chef) kept the 20-odd diners happy.

What we liked: We left Fusion floating on a cloud of gastronomic gratification. I can say without an iota of exaggeration that everything we sampled was jaw-droppingly delicious. We started with the chorizo stuffed grape leaves — four plump rolls stacked over sauteed sweet onions and jalapeños mixed with a plum glaze. It was amazing and, like an appetizer should, it got us excited about the rest of our meal. And oh, what a meal it was — we literally couldn't stop ordering.

Next up was a spinach salad with avocado, cucumber and jicama and tortilla soup — both were excellent. For entreés, we sampled the Harris Ranch rib-eye au poivre — a thin cut of slightly marbled (read: more tender, more flavor) steak covered with coarsely ground peppercorns and the ginger jerk escolar — a thick cut of flaky white fish grilled in a scrumptious sweet, buttery sauce. After such flawless food, there was no way we could resist checking out Chef Long's dessert skills. We were glad we indulged because the Buckboard shortcake — a warm-from-the-oven fruit scone sliced in half, filled with sautéed strawberries and served on a vanilla crème and glaze with dollops of whipped cream — stands alone as reason enough to visit Fusion from all edges of the East Valley.

Scene: Steely-blue drapes and walls create a soothing mood when combined with the various candles scattered about the intimate dining space.

Bathroom break: Immaculate with desert brown tile covering the floor and the lower half of the walls.

Tab for two: $96 with tax and tip for chorizo stuffed grape leaves ($6.95), spinach salad ($5.95), tortilla soup ($4.95), ribeye ($23.95), escolar ($19.95), Buckboard shortcake ($5.95) and fudge with ice cream ($5.95).

If work weren’t buying: Eating at Fusion is the culinary equivalent of sleeping with Brad Pitt, my taste buds will never be the same.

Fusion
4441 N. Buckboard Trail, Scottsdale

Major cross streets: Southeast of Camelback and Scottsdale roads on Buckboard Trail
Reservations accepted: Yes
Kid friendly: Yes
Health report: No violations on March 17
Prices: $5.95-$23.95
Most interesting item: Melon salad with sunflower seeds and goat cheese ($5.95)