Cool Water Fusion Restaurant

Cool Water Fusion Restaurant Restaurant Review:

The name suggests relaxation; the décor does not. Vivid blue and red walls and hard surfaces make for a lively (not to say noisy) setting. As for the menu, it doesn’t so much come together, fusion-style, as it zigzags all over the place, from crêpes to fish ‘n’ chips to osso buco to Indian tacos. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but the most successful dishes are those that truly do blend Southwestern with other traditions: take the intriguing blue corn-crusted onion rings with green chile ranch dip, for instance, or the ancho chile-plum sauce that accompanies braised short ribs. More straightforwardly local dishes, like red chile-braised pork over a sope-like corn cake, are solid too; desserts, on the other hand, are but a half-baked afterthought. With a slightly tighter culinary focus, Cool Water may yet soothe hungry souls whose thirst is certainly quenched by local microbrews (after all, the namesake potable only goes so far). There’s also a handful of decent wines amid the plonk --- but don’t even encourage the bar’s attempt to configure cocktails without spirits.