Fusion cuisine is a relatively new concept in dining that popped up in California restaurants in the late 1970s. Just as it sounds, fusion cuisine “fuses” together different styles of foods, often blending cultures and flavors together to create a unique dining experience, while allowing chefs to experiment in new and exciting ways.

Many restaurants have embraced food fusion in some form, with the most common being simply having various options from other cuisines available on the same menu. For example, in Asian fusion, a Japanese restaurant might serve Vietnamese and Chinese dishes right next to their own. This form of fusion might serve best to accommodate the varied tastes of the restaurant’s diners.

The newest form of fusion cooking that has been trending for the last couple years is possibly the most creative. It combines the specific flavors and ingredients of one culture and turns them on their heads and presents them in the style of another culture. Think taco pizza, or perhaps wasabi mashed potatoes. Both dishes are presented in ways that contradict the flavors, creating a result that is new and exciting. Below are a few examples of some of the more unique examples of fusion cuisine that bring excitement to old standards we know and love.

In New York, a Japanese chef created a ramen noodle burger, which uses cooked disc-shaped ramen noodles in place of a bun to hold together this creation. The burger itself is topped with a sweet shoyu sauce and green onions and arugula. The distinctly Japanese flavors are presented in a classic American way. This burger was only offered for a limited time exclusively at the Brooklyn eatery, but could be duplicated at home with a little bit of research on the internet.

Who doesn’t like bacon? Many at home bakers figured adding bacon to their cinnamon rolls could only make them taste better, and if the reviews on sites such as Pinterest are any indication, they might be right. For this one you grab a tube of those refrigerated store bought cinnamon rolls – the ones that “pop” open when you peel off the layers of the tube – and follow the directions as written but add a step and simply roll a piece of semi-cooked bacon into it. Sounds great for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Korean tacos shops are popping up all over in American cities and rising in popularity. The Hornet has even covered midtown’s Tako Korean BBQ earlier in the semester. These tacos substitute Korean ingredients and sauces in place of the usual taco fillings and wraps them up in a Mexican tortilla, creating a dish that seems like someone would’ve already thought of. These tacos are basic in execution and fascinating for the taste buds.

Another Asian-Mexican fusion that is trendy this year is the sushi burrito. It’s exactly as it sounds – a giant, rolled up sushi-stuffed burrito. Imagine a burrito-sized traditional sushi roll that hasn’t been sliced into pieces and that’s about it. These “burritos” have a sushi rice covered soy paper or seaweed wrap instead of a Mexican tortilla that gets flipped inside out so the rice is on the inside, hugging the raw fish and Japanese sauces it’s rolled around. Once not an option for car dining, these burritos offer a fun way to eat sushi on the go. In the last year sushi burrito spots have opened in Elk Grove and most recently, in midtown.

Food fusion offers diners a chance to try a variety of cuisines conveniently in a fun and new way that anyone with an imagination can contribute to, with their taste buds being the only judge.

Steven Senn can be reached at [email protected]