Fusion
Frenzy
Kun Fusion Grill
blends Mexican
and Korean flavors
By Amy Schneider
Monroe@11th
T
here’s nothing else quite like Kun Fusion
Grill in Eugene, and that’s the point, says
owner Shawn Werner.
Take Kun Fusion’s rice bowl, for
example, resplendent with savory chicken,
crunchy veggies and mounds of rice topped
with a fried egg. It’s fusion food at its very
best, combining Korean and Mexican
cuisines to delicious effect.
Imagine hefty burritos filled with
sumptuous Korean barbecue meat, rice and vegetables,
and you’re getting close to picturing just how delightful
this cultural combination can be.
Werner, who opened the food truck with his family in
December 2014, says he’s currently looking for a restaurant
location to set up shop. The right partnership hasn’t come
along yet, so in the meantime customers can seek out the
food truck on Tuesdays and Fridays, oftentimes across
from the Costco parking lot off Coburg Road.
Kun Fusion’s roving nature doesn’t dissuade the
truck’s followers — at lunchtime, Werner says, up to
50 people might wait for a quesadilla or Kyro, Werner’s
tangy, Korean-influenced take on a gyro. It’s no wonder
Kun Fusion won third place for best food cart in Best of
Eugene 2015.
Werner, a former spokesperson for NASCAR, says
that opening a food cart has long been a dream of his, and
when he grew tired of the traveling life as a NASCAR
employee, he came back home with the mission of
bringing something unique to Eugene.
To accomplish this, Werner asked himself, “Where is
the best food truck in the U.S.?”
The answer: Kogi Korean BBQ, a suite of fusion food
trucks in Los Angeles that regularly garners long lines.
Werner tracked down the trucks, waited in line for three
hours, waited another 45 minutes after ordering and, upon
tasting Kogi’s spicy pork burrito, he knew what he wanted
to bring back to Eugene: Mexican-Korean fusion.
So what is Mexican-Korean fusion, exactly? “The
foundation is Korean barbecue meat,” Werner says,
describing the Korean aspect as the core of Kun Fusion’s
flavor profile. Kun Fusion offers a handful of protein
choices, including tofu, chicken and pork. The Mexican
part manifests in the wrapping — tortillas for making
tacos and burritos — as well as using salsa and cilantro to
round out the flavor.
VALID MONDAY TO THURSDAY ONLY
8th@Charnelton
Buy One
Get
one
lunch combination
FREE
of equal or lesser value with purchase of 2 beverages
Not Valid on Mariscos Seafood Plates or on Daily Specials. No split checks.
Other restrictions may apply. Limit 1 per Table Not valid on Holidays,
Not valid on to go orders. cannot be combined with other offers exp: 3/28/16
VALID MONDAY TO THURSDAY ONLY
541-688-3642
4712 Royal Ave
Eugene
541-726-2110
Way Happy Hour
2
CHOW WINTER 2016
3pm-5pm Daily
495 Harlow Rd.
Springfield
Buy One
Get one
dinner combination
FREE
maximum
value
$8.95
of equal or lesser value with purchase of 2 beverages
Not Valid on Mariscos Seafood Plates or on Daily Specials. No split checks.
Other restrictions may apply. Limit 1 per Table Not valid on Holidays,
Not valid on to go orders. cannot be combined with other offers exp: 3/28/16
EUGENEWEEKLY.COM/CHOW
PHOTOS BY TODD COOPER
SHAWN WERNER SHOWS OFF KUN FUSION'S MASSIVE BURRITO