Moon Fusion, amazing Italian-Japanese fusion cuisine by the Mugung team

Last year, the opening of Mugung was a revelation of naughtiness, making it one of our favorite addresses in the Sentier. Now, as the culinary season gets underway, the same team, led by the ever-vibrant Isabelle and her attentive waitresses, is opening a new den of gustatory pleasure: Moon Fusion.

This time, we head for the bustling Rue du Faubourg Montmartre and this restaurant, decorated with mirrors and gilding, for a most... amazing. At the altar, two cuisines that, at first glance, have nothing in common: Japanese and Italian. And yet, when combined on the same plate, these two cuisines respond to each other in a highly successful manner.

After delighting gourmands and gourmets in Paris and beyond with her original Korean dishes , it's with the same singularity - not to say eccentricity - that Isabelle has imagined a menu that blends delicate flavors and products from the Alps with Japanese techniques.

God knows, fusion cuisine has lost its credentials over the years. After peaking in popularity in the 90s and 2000s, this cuisine of assimilation, blending inspirations from the four corners of the globe, has gradually lost its lustre. But what about Moon Fusion?

Disregarding the rather lengthy menu, we willingly let ourselves be guided by the owner, who recommends the Maison's must-taste dishes. Starting with the crispy, oblong-shaped shrimp egg rolls (13€ for three) (the coating is not like Chinese egg rolls, but much less fatty), the creamy shrimp tacos (15€ for three), the chicken bao (14€ for two) with a homemade garlic sauce, and the fried tofu with spicy salmon (12€ for three), which plays on textures.

The address also offers all the specialties you'd expect from a traditional Japanese restaurant (maki, sushi, sashimi), but here again, twisted with Italian products. The black crispy salmon (15€ for three) comes with a truffle sauce and a ladle of straciatella, while the moon rolls (20€) combine tempura shrimp, eel juice and pistachios. Original!

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Among our favorites are the moon bao (8€), which has all the makings of an XXL xiaolongbao, and the chef's eggplant (16€), which resembles Chinese eggplant Hong Shao style, spiced up with a homemade chili oil. Between Moon Fusion and Mugung, Isabelle and her team offer the curious a veritable journey into Asian lands. And once again, it works!