Page 56 - Damianos Sotheby's International Realty Magazine Vol. 3

5 TOP FOOD
TRENDS YOU’LL
LOVE THIS YEAR
By Eustacia Huen
Global food, restaurant and hotel consultancy Baum + White- man’s report 13 Hottest Food & Beverage Trends in Restaurant & Hotel Dining for 2017 offers a comprehensive look at the dining
industry, from falling food prices hurting restaurants to the rise of delivery-only food start-ups.
I reviewed the list, then asked the firm’s president, renowned food consultant Michael Whiteman, for his take on the trends that matter in 2017.
1 VEGETARIAN COMFORT FOOD
Vegetables are the rising stars on the dinner plate, as animal pro- teins and heavy side dishes make way for more vegetarian options. According to Pinterest, there was a rise in the word “veggies” in its comfort-food searches by 336% last year, while words such as “lasa- gna,” “macaroni” and “Stroganoff ” were off by 69%, 55% and 50%, respectively. What this means is that many more people are likely to order mashed cauliflower instead of rice and pasta and (if possible) request a vegetable crust for a healthier pizza.
RESTAURANTS TO CHECK OUT: Le Botaniste and Nix in New York City and Vedge in Philadelphia
2 ARTISAN BUTCHER SHOPS–PLUS–RESTAURANTS
Given the increase in vegetarian options, expect push back from the other end in the form of artisanal butcher shops–cum–restau- rants. A more upscale take on the craft of butchery, this “butcher- to-table” trend lets customers in on the preparation of everything from grilled steak to charcuterie. Plus, you’ll get to eat your choice right away.
RESTAURANTS TO CHECK OUT: Le District Food Hall’s butcher shop in New York City, Parts & Labor in Baltimore, Kensington Quarters in Philadelphia, The Cannibal in Los Angeles and Salt & Time in Austin
3 BREAKFAST, UPDATED
All-day breakfast is hardly a new concept, but with many fast food- chain offerings such as the “Brunchfast” at Jack in the Box and spiced-up breakfast sandwiches at Starbucks, what’s unique about this trend is how the texture of breakfast is changing. Forget soft scrambled eggs, buttered grits and oatmeal. What you’ll find now are so-called “aggressive” crunchier items such as fried chicken, crispy chorizo and chimichurri.
RESTAURANTS TO CHECK OUT: Jam in Chicago, Eggslut in Los Angeles, Seatown in Sea le and Deep Ellum in Boston
4 KALE NO MORE
This year, kiss kale goodbye. There are many more exciting vegetable options—consider the large range of seaweeds, which pack in more umami flavors, and waste-not greens such as beet greens, chard, tur- nip greens, mustard greens and carrot tops.
5 BOWLS, BOWLS, BOWLS
First, there were acai bowls. Then, there was poké. In 2017, eating from bowls will see restaurants migrate from serving hand-held items to placing the food in bowls like Korean bibimbap. And, the benefits go beyond good things to eat. Holding a bowl makes you more mind- ful of what you’re enjoying; you’ll feel full faster, and you’ll savour all of the flavours and textures with every bite. What’s not to like? RESTAURANTS TO CHECK OUT: Sweetgreen, Cava Grill, Chipotle and Dig Inn in New York City, Sqirl in Los Angeles and all of the hot poké spots, yoghurt, smoothie and juice chains, plus many hotels
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