Last Friday night, 7:30 p.m.: Blowing snow makes driving nearly impossible, and traffic is moving necessarily slow. Heated seats and all-wheel drive can’t make up for the slick roads.

That is, until dinner at Vellee Deli’s new pop-up, located inside Minneapolis ice cream institution Crema Cafe. A loyal crowd braved the inclement weather to delight in chef and co-owner Joyce Truong’s sublime Asian-Mexican fusion street food — fresh re-imaginings of burritos, banh mi and egg rolls made locally famous in the last couple of years by the food truck of the same name.

In short, it’s good. It also warmed me up to fusion food.

Fusion is an overused term, thrown around by unimaginative chefs who have no better way to make their bland food exquisite. It’s a hackneyed cliché used in bistro after bistro to lure eaters into bad dishes by making them sound haute. Haute they are not — more passé and try-hard than hot, and more celebrity glitz (I’m talking to you, Jean-Georges) than careful execution.

But Vellee Deli isn’t passé or try-hard. Its fusion works because it pushes the envelope without being overly imaginative. It’s clear that Truong acknowledges the similarities between Asian and Mexican food and knows exactly where the two can, and should, intersect.

Take the Korean BBQ burrito. Vellee’s is one of two iterations in town, the other butchered by the massively overrated World Street Kitchen. WSK’s abomination is hoisin heavy and doused with “secret sauce,” which would be tasty on its own. It’s also lacking in the size department; ergo, bigger is better. The basic flavors are good, but balance issues need to be fixed to up the ante.

Vellee’s version, however, is a nuanced masterpiece — Chipotle for the adventurous, a dish capable of catching on around town and serving as the centerpiece to a small, local chain (Vellee Deli take note: The food truck’s return to the U campus would be greatly appreciated). Subtly sweet Korean BBQ short ribs are paired with kimchi and finished off with cilantro rice Chipotle-style (sans lime). The fusion of burrito with Asian fixings works because of two common denominators: rice and spice. The kimchi works because it balances out the short ribs with its fermented saltiness. It’s a seemingly complex concept executed simply and wonderfully.

The spice is the glue between the two cultures. Instead of salsa, Vellee’s burritos use Sriracha sauce. The heat level goes from 1 to 3 — from a slight bite to scorching hot. The staffer working suggested spice level 2. His sage wisdom was right on — the Sriracha was not overbearing and functioned like Chipotle’s hot salsa.

Vellee Deli’s Vellee Rolls — thin, short egg rolls — are also not to be missed. According to Truong, they’re based on the traditional Vietnamese recipe, which is stuffed with ground pork and vermicelli noodles. They are crisp and delicate and stand up to the Twin Cities’ best egg rolls. Let them cool for a couple of minutes, as they’re scalding when served. The sweet and sour fish sauce on the side is pedestrian yet satisfying.

Finish your meal with a scoop of house-made spumoni, prepared by Crema Cafe, makers of Sonny’s ice cream for more than 65 years. It’s refreshing, airy and textural. Vanilla bean ice cream is paired with nutty cinnamon ice cream. The cinnamon’s zest is cooled by the vanilla accents, a match made in heaven that’s less common than it should be.

The restaurant’s décor is cozy and intimate, occasionally too cramped but never too loud. The interior feels more like a Roman villa than a pop-up kitchen, with prominent stone pillars that make you think Caesar himself could stride by at any moment. Once the weather clears up, Truong said, she hopes to expand seating to the patio, a secret slice of Italy in South Minneapolis.

Service is brisk and friendly. Menu options are limited, but no one should be lamenting the days when menus resembled encyclopedias. Vellee’s luster is due to its brevity and focused concept. Prices are affordable, with everything on the menu coming in less than $10.

Until food truck season comes around, make the trek out to Vellee Deli’s pop-up. It’s worth it, rain, sleet or snow.

What: Vellee Deli pop-up
Where: 3403 S. Lyndale Ave., Minneapolis
Prices: Less than $10
Hours: 4-10 p.m. Thursday through Sunday