Better Than P.F. Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps with a Peanut Chili Onion Sauce

Here in the South, we are a little slower to buy a ticket to board the flavor train. When we do, we are often left with fusion confusion.

When you see food in the South it's usually one-note. We have Japanese food, Chinese food, Indian food, and Mexican food; however, in other countries – and yes, CA and NY are considered foreign – overlapping cuisines are very common. Because these cities are cultural melting pots, it is natural for culinary lines to blur. In Richmond, the Korean-Mexican fusion has held a place for a while, but still, people are like “Wow, it's so interesting.” Mexican and Chinese food have been intermingling for hundreds of years. After the Spanish conquered Mexico, they were looking for what they called the Spice Islands and found the Philippines. So in Mexico, there are Chinese cafes, coffee shops, and restaurants galore, and the funny thing is if you go into a Chinese restaurant, you will find enchiladas alongside chop suey, and you will find forks – chopsticks are optional!

As more cultures combine, it’s only natural that new dishes will be created. When people share, and cooking styles and ingredients collide, new concepts and flavor profiles are born. Integration now has a younger audience that, thanks to television and the Internet, is more knowledgeable and curious about different foods and cultures, and they are more than willing to try the next new creation. Fusion is becoming increasingly mainstream in America, with ethnic ingredients like soy sauce and sriracha becoming household staples. Food trucks are also embracing the trend, crafting new and daring concepts, such as Korean tacos and Southern sushi. With food combinations showing no signs of slowing down, we Southerners may want to jump on the banh mi burrito bandwagon before we are culinarily left behind.

What would Italian cuisine be today had the tomato never made its way to Europe? Lucky for us, when foods find each other, new traditions emerge. Marinara meets noodles. And then, it's like it was always meant to be. Delicious destiny. Yes, when cultures clash and flavors mash, everybody wins. A local restaurant advertises as, “Not just Chinese, not just Mexican; Mexinese!” Next stop? Pho burritos, avocado fried rice, fajita boa, Kung Pao nachos, and chorizo eggrolls. I'm climbing aboard because I love it all and "dim sum."