• DINING •
Roe Fusion is keeping integrity alive By Frier McCollister Pasadena Weekly Contributor
Back row, from left to right, are Phillip Ozaki, co-founder and executive chef; Alie Ungrue, cook; Clinton Lu, content creator; and Edward Weng, founder. Front row, from left to right, are Eddie Casillas, busser; Vanessa Banta, server; and Jorge Her-
Roe Fusion
120 W. Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre 626-921-0198, roefusion.com
Edward Weng co-founded Roe Fusion with executive chef Phillip Ozaki.
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Photos by Luis Chavez
R
oe Fusion began its “soft opening” in early August. Occupying the space in Sierra Madre previously held by the restaurant Sierra Fusion, Roe Fusion intends to celebrate its grand opening starting Sept. 10. “The reason we wanted to have a prolonged soft opening was to smooth out front-of-house and back-of-house (operations) and ensure that we have a great restaurant establishment for the city of Sierra Madre,” explained Edward Weng, the restaurant’s director of business relations. Weng is partnered with his best friend, chef Phillip Ozaki. Roe Fusion represents the culmination of a dream for the pair, who grew up in the area. “Phillip and I met over 10 years ago now,” Weng said. “We actually met playing basketball at a nearby park and just hit it off, right out of the gate.” They played on the highly competitive pickup courts at First Avenue Middle School in Arcadia. “It was the place for basketball,” Weng said. “For anyone in the SGV, if you want a good five-on-five full-court basketball game, this was the park. It has over six different basketball courts, and on any given weekday night, it would be packed. We called them ‘battles.’ We were kids in our late teens, and this was our shared passion, playing basketball. So, that’s how we met each other and became the best of friends.” Ozaki grew up in Arcadia and attended Arcadia High School before joining the culinary program at the Art Institute in Orange County. Weng earned his diploma at San Marino High School and MBA at USC. Weng pursued a career in commercial real estate, while Ozaki began an eclectic circuit of notable kitchens and local culinary opportunities. “Chef Ozaki has worked in multiple, renowned kitchens,” Weng said. “To name a few: Gyu-Kaku (Japanese barbecue) in Old Town Pasadena, Plan Check Kitchen + Bar on Sawtelle Boulevard. He was one of the main chefs there. He helped kick-start Dirt Dog, which is known as LA’s official hot dog, and then after that, he made his way to Katsuya, where he added Japanese fusion to his skill set and arsenal, and here we are.” For a talented and ambitious young chef with an eye toward opening a restaurant, it helps to have a best friend and partner with an expertise in commercial real estate. “We wanted to open a restaurant more than two years ago. Being in the commercial real estate space, I had familiarity in to how to negotiate and acquire an opportunity,” Weng explained. They always intended to open their restaurant in the area. “We had been looking at Old Town (Pasadena),” he said. “We were born and raised in the Pasadena (area). This was our home, and we always wanted to open something nearby to share with our family and friends and to give back to the community.” They discovered an available space in Sierra Madre early this year. “When this property was on the market and we took a gander at it, we realized this was a really good opportunity. It just happened to be adjacent to nearby Arcadia, where we played basketball. “We couldn’t sleep on this opportunity. We decided to pull the trigger. Using my real estate skill set and his culinary expertise, Roe Fusion was formed.” Sierra Fusion was owned and operated by chef Edward Ungrue, the former executive chef at San Gabriel Country Club and Caltech’s Athenaeum. Before the pandemic, Ungrue garnered a popular following at Sierra Fusion, while also establishing a robust catering operation and a popular local food truck, Slammin’ Sliders. Weng and Ozaki acquired those businesses in the sale as well. “We ended up becoming very good friends with chef Edward,” Weng said. “He was an integral part in helping us to kick-start our business. He provided a lot of advice and mentorship to two young guys looking to give back to their city. For that,
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