Something Spectacular Comes This Way

Julie Keating

October 6, 2020

Fuse Set to Open in Downtown Aiken Pre-Halloween

If there is a worse time to consider remodeling an old building, taking on the expense of upscaling a commercial kitchen, and opening a prime space restaurant in the downtown Aiken area, I can’t imagine when it would be. But Fuse has persevered through the COVID-19 era storm and will soon be coming out the other end, with an opening date yet to be determined but estimated before Halloween 2020. Chef “Naj,” as Chris Najmola is affectionately known, is excited to bring his innovative culinary taste to the Aiken community.

Aiken is Exactly the Community Chef Chris was Searching for

Chris chose Aiken specifically because of the makeup of our community. He was looking for a worldly group of people to come to his table. His roots combine a Polish upbringing with old Southern niceties — just the mixture of experiences that blend to create his unique twist on tastes and flavors.

Nose to Tail – Farm to Table Concept

The restaurant is committed to community, nose to tail appreciation, and organic and seasonal vegetables from local farmers when possible. Anyone who has the opportunity to talk to Chef Naj can see the enthusiasm brimming with every word he uses to describe his cooking, his experiences, and his excitement at starting this new venture in the Downtown Alley of Aiken. Although Fuse will be new to Ai-ken, it made quite a splash in its previous location in Augusta, which is sad to see it go. The restaurant has no doubt that its Augusta patrons will drive the extra couple of miles to join the Aiken community.

What is Fuse Serving up?

The idea behind Fuse cuisine is to take food back to its origins, from heritage grains grown from seed to using peak seasonal farm-grown produce. Our culture has be-come accustomed to changing things to make them more simplistic and easy, but Chris wants to bring quality, originality, and full flavor back to the table. And being his humble self, everyone in his kitchen has a say and is highly encouraged to add brush stroke to the canvas and make every plate a masterpiece.

Everyone Comes to the Table to Share a Meal

For Fuse, coming to Aiken isn’t just about setting up shop and inviting people to come and join. Everyone who walks into Fuse is invited to sit at the table and come together as a community. And Chris’s aspirations don’t stop at Fuse’s door — he intends to showcase a vast number of different styles, tastes, and celebrations around the entire Aiken area. We are all highly anticipating the opening, which for now is estimated to be about mid-October. Stop in and meet the staff of Fuse and welcome them to our community. Their engagement in Aiken is not only welcomed, it is highly anticipated!

Something Spectacular Comes This Way | Palmetto Bella

Julie Keating

A writer by trade, and a mother of six, Julie Keating joins Bella as the Digital Director. When she was growing up in the midwest, Southern girls fascinated her. The way that they sauntered around, the sweet tones that came from their mouths, and the effortless way that they made even the most cutting phrases sound charming were all mystifying. Now that she lives in the South, Julie sees that there is something so much more underneath “Bella.” Bella isn’t about being from a certain area or having an accent; it is the way that a woman carries herself with grace and confidence, the way she uses her femininity in such a way that she commands respect.

Julie Keating

In the know

Alfresco is the Way to Go

It is always a temptation to get out of the kitchen on a sunny day. The first time I recall dining outdoors at a restaurant was at a location by the Río de la Plata in Buenos Aires, Argentina. My family had moved there in 1973 so that my dad could manage a project for General Motors. We were wined and dined (yes, even I, at the tender age of sixteen, was served wine) at wonderful places throughout the historic city. The padillas are grills located mainly in the Palermo neighborhood, near the sports arenas. The smoky aroma of barbecued meats wafted along the sidewalks. When we walked into what I remember being called a casita, or little house, there was an open fire

Aiken Music Fest Interviews The Red Clay Strays

A conversation between local Aikenite, Rob Heilig, and The Red Clay Strays ahead of their Aiken Music Fest show on July 3: Slightly ahead of the 2:00pm scheduled time, my phone rang with a (251) area code that said “Alabama.” Just before answering, I thought of the CB chatter that opens the song ‘Roll On’ by the group Alabama. On the other end of the line was Andy Bishop from Mobile, Alabama, bassist for The Red Clay Strays, who will be our featured act on July 3rd at Aiken Music Fest. After some formalities, I cut to the chase on my most pressing question I’ve been wanting to ask them!

Two Strong Legs | Lux Libations

I’ve lived in Augusta for almost six years now. I’m hardly nomadic, but I’ve lived in quite a few places in the eastern United States: Pennsylvania, Virginia, Atlanta, Maryland. I’ve always thought that I could live anywhere. Big city, small town, whatever — as long as I have a friend or two and my amazing wife, I can make it work. Then I moved to Augusta. Maybe it is the friends we made, or the community, or the southern hospitality, but I fell in love with this town. When Chris and David over at Drop Disgusta reached out to me about being on their podcast, I jumped at the opportunity.

The Mushroom Medley | An Interview + Recipe with Chris Najmola

From the Kitchen of… Fuse Aiken: The Mushroom Medley – An Interview + Recipe with Chris Najmola You will need: 8 oz. assorted mushrooms — we recommend using Circular Farms to keep it local 2 oz. heavy whipping cream 2 oz. high quality soy sauce 1 oz. vegetable oil a bottle of your favorite red wine a sauté pan some crusty bread to sop up the sauce, or a steak to top — honestly, everyone tells us you could put it over anything This is how we do it (like the song): Start off by getting your sauté pan nice and hot. I think it’s important that nothing hits a