Located at the northern end of Lake Street in Northbridge, the unassuming Fuze Tapas Lounge is the latest addition to Perth’s growing tapas scene.
Located at the northern end of Lake Street in Northbridge, the unassuming Fuze Tapas Lounge is the latest addition to Perth’s growing tapas scene.
Formerly home to the African Mesob Cafe and Restaurant, new owner Melanie Blake took over the lease last October and completely transformed the interior of the Spanish villa-style property.
The daughter of a publican, Ms Blake is a veteran of the Western Australian hotel industry and has previously owned a number metropolitan and regional hotels and pubs with her family.
Most recently exiting ownership of the Bruce Rock Hotel, the family moved back to the city to start their new restaurant venture.
The Fuze marked its official opening on January 3 after two months of extensive refurbishments, during which the venue was completely gutted and rebuilt from the ground up.
The seated restaurant area has a capacity of 70 patrons, with the lounge bar area able to comfortably seat about 20, with a view to extending out into the small alfresco area in the near future.
Ms Blake said she wanted to create a place where people could come and enjoy a drink with good food, without going to a pub.
“We wanted to create a funky lounge area where people can come and have a drink, with even just a bowl of olives, short of being in a pub,” she told Gusto.
Ms Blake’s son, Zac, is the chef and the creator of the wide selection of tapas dishes on offer, all made from fresh local produce.
The menu at Fuze, which will change every two to three weeks, ranges from the simple – marinated olives, Spanish sausage and Persian fetta, and slow roasted balsamic roma tomato, basil and parmesan bruschetta – to the more robust crispy skin pork belly on red cabbage, pickled walnut and apple salad.
The tapas selection is dominated by Mediterranean fare, including a spicy Spanish hotpot with chorizo sausage and chickpeas stewed in romesco sauce with green olives and fresh herbs, pumpkin, taleggio and sage arancini served on walnut chutney, and harissa spiced lamb kebabs with coriander raita.
For something more substantial, diners can choose an eye fillet beef with blue cheese on a potato puree and confit of tomatoes, or the crispy skin duck breast on a red curry, pineapple and basil sauce with steamed bok choy.
Ms Blake said the location of the restaurant, at the northern end of Northbridge and surrounded by new residential and commercial developments, was ideal in creating a more relaxed atmosphere.
“I like to think of it being close enough [to the centre of Northbridge] to be close to the action, but far away enough to be more relaxed,” she said.
“Northbridge has got a lot of growing to do.”
The Fuze currently has a restaurant licence, but has submitted an application for an extended trading permit (ETP) to allow customers to drink without a meal.
Ms Blake also hopes to introduce a Sunday brunch, as well as opening more regularly for lunch to cater for the nearby corporate market.
The Fuze Tapas Lounge, on the corner of Lake and Newcastle streets, is open for dinner from Tuesday to Saturday, and on Friday for lunch.
