Weekday business was slow. Now, restaurant will focus on its specialty: weekend breakfast
In late 2022, Shannon Johnson moved her Fusion Restaurant from Delano to the former Magic Wok space at 9504 W. Central.
Since then, she said, she’s developed a customer base in the neighborhood, which is near Central and Tyler, but starting over in a new space has been harder than she thought it would be. Now, she’s come up with a new plan that she thinks will work better.
She’s decided to eliminate her weekday hours — previously, the restaurant had been open Wednesdays through Sundays, serving a lunch buffet. Then, Johnson cut back to Fridays through Sundays.
Now, the restaurant will be open on Saturdays and Sundays only, but Johnson hopes to turn it into a weekend breakfast destination.
Her new hours will be 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays.
Johnson said that her customers loved the breakfast buffet that she offered on Sundays and had asked about having it on Saturdays, too.
The Saturday buffet will include Fusion favorites like house-made, sweet pepper bacon, sausage, biscuits and gravy, grits, fried potatoes, fresh fruit, and omelets and eggs made to order. Johnson has also added a mini-waffle bar.
Those who don’t want the buffet will still be able to order a few breakfast items a la carte, including a breakfast sandwich, a breakfast burrito or a gluten-free chicken Benedict.
The same breakfast buffet will be offered on Sundays, but that day, Johnson will add a few lunch items to the buffet, including things like rosemary cream chicken with turmeric rice, meatloaf, pork dishes and soups.
The buffet on Saturday is $13 for ages 13 and up, $8 for ages 6-12 and free for ages 5 and under. On Sunday, it’s $20 for ages 13 and up, ages 6-12 pay their age, and it’s free for 5 and under. Johnson noted that her Sunday brunch buffet is almost entirely gluten free.
Going forward, Johnson plans to focus on her catering jobs during the weekdays.
“Our caterings are what’s actually paying the bills,” she said. “We need more time for that.”
Johnson first opened her Fusion restaurant in 2016 at 1812 W. Douglas in Delano, but in the spring of 2022, she had to close it after losing her lease. She vowed to find a new space and eventually settled on the Magic Wok space, which was empty after its owners closed the restaurant in June 2022 after 41 years in business.
Johnson gutted the space, adding a new bar and seating for about 75.
This story was originally published July 30, 2024 at 12:19 PM.
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