Restaurant, Food Trends For 2013

　　Andrew Freeman & Co., a hospitality and restaurant consulting firm based in San Francisco, has released its annual U.S. trend report identifying key hospitality-focused influences for 2013.

　　“There has been a revolution in how hotels and restaurants are evolving and adapting to a new reality,” said President Andrew Freeman. “An increasingly savvy clientele is forcing the industry to evolve and adapt like never before. It isn"t enough to blindly follow trends; hotels and restaurants have to define their identity and discover how the trends apply.”

　　Over the next few days, HOTELS will report some of the trends as identified by the firm. In part one, we look at “Food Ease: Restaurant & Food Trends.”

　　Call for a toast! Everyone’s “toast”ing, and not just for breakfast. Toast it, slather it with sweet or savory items and watch guests enjoy any time of day. Perfect for snacking and for sharing.

　　Examples: The Bachelor Farmer (Minneapolis, Minnesota) and Park Tavern (San Francisco) offer an entire section of “Toasts” on their menu.

　　On a roll. Ultra-serious sandwich-focused restaurants aren’t loafing around; instead they are creating their own customized rolls designed just-so to show their stuff-ings.

　　Examples: Sfilatino Italian Gourmet (New York City) makes the crusty “sfilatino” roll; Baco Mercat (Los Angeles) makes “baco” flatbread for its sandwiches.

　　Get board. Boards are the new baskets. Offer a selection of house-made breads and custom flavored spreads served straight from a bread board.

　　Example: Bread & Butter Board with a selection of house jams, conserves, yogurts, spreads, schmears, dips, butters and rendered fatty animal love served with grilled bread, pain d’epi, house crackers and country bread at The Greenhouse Tavern (Cleveland, Ohio).

　　Nex Mex. With an increasingly savvy world-traveling clientele, skilled native cooks and a bevy of people who love Mexican food, expect more restaurants to focus on the sophisticated side of Mexican cuisine and the melding of Mexican home cooking with local ideals. It’s the new state of New Mexican.

　　Examples: Copita (Sausalito, California); Emepellón Cocina (New York City); Jaguar by Ferran Adria (Barcelona).

　　The new ABCs. Argentina, Brazil and Chile! Or asados (Argentine barbeque), borgoña (Chilean beverage of chilled red wine and strawberries) and chimichurri (Argentine salsa verde). Or perhaps alfajores (dulce de leche cookies), brigadeiros (Brazilian chocolate and condensed milk candies) and cachaça/caipirinhas (Brazilian cocktails). Whatever you do, don’t forget the cheese buns (Brazil)![page]

　　Examples: Lolinda (San Francisco); Ox (Portland, Oregon).

　　From rush-in with love. Chefs trained in fine dining are speeding things up with new fast-casual restaurants featuring counter service, speedy delivery and a concise menu focusing on one narrowly defined concept.

　　Examples: Hi Lo BBQ (San Francisco) features barbecue in many styles; Brasa (Berkeley, California) focuses on Peruvian roast chicken.

　　Counter culture. Guests are sitting front and center at kitchen counters, watching and interacting directly with the chefs who serve them. Chefs are showing off with 20 or more courses spread out over multiple hours. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience that lasts a lifetime, or maybe it seems like it.

　　Examples: Blanca at Roberta’s (Brooklyn, New York); é by Jose Andres (Las Vegas).

　　The perfect fixe. Restaurants are returning to fixed price menus, and not just for fine dining. Reap the rewards of an improving economy, manage costs and tables better, and improve returns.

　　Examples: Eleven Madison Park (New York City) moved to an all fixed-price menu; Aubergine at L’Auberge Carmel (Carmel, California) also is only fixed price.

　　Couples’ kitchen. Culinary couples are opening exciting new restaurants, sharing a common dream and making it a reality. Benefits include shared work and responsibility, labor savings and a more personal home-spun feel. It’s the new mom-and-pop shop.

　　Examples: State Bird Provisions (San Francisco); MiLa (New Orleans).

　　Space — not waste. Capitalize on extra space, in spare rooms or outdoors. Create a reservation-only, distinctly unique pop-up experience within. Do something new and different you’ve always wanted to. Guests relish the freewheeling freedom and exclusivity. Make room!

　　Examples: NoMad Hotel rooftop dinner series (New York City); La Boulange (San Francisco) opens its mother bakery at night on weekends for a three-course prix-fixe Baker’s Dinner.

　　What’s your type? Vintage typewriters (and other period collectibles) are the new taxidermy in restaurant design.

　　Examples: Local Edition (San Francisco); Café China (New York City).

　　Road scholars. Chefs are tripping out, traveling the world and bringing back stories, ingredients and new menu dishes inspired directly by their travels — regardless of the types of food they serve. Pair with the appropriate wine, beer or other beverage and share the back stories with your guests bringing the experience alive.

　　Examples: After returning from Italy, Poggio (Sausalito, California) Chef Peter McNee offered a special menu and wine pairings recreating dishes and memories from his trip. After visiting Malaysia, FIVE (Berkeley, California) Chef Banks White added a crispy fish with Malay curry sauce to his otherwise American menu.

　　InGrained knowledge. Explore ancient grains for unique flavors, textures and health purposes. New ideas are sprouting. Now is the time to go with the grain. Let it ferment a bit.

　　Examples: Sorghum “Popcorn” at Maverick (San Francisco); Lamb with Sprouted Wheat Berries at Atera (New York City).

　　Drunken bar snacks. The bar and the snacks are coming together with drunken bar snacks featuring classic bar foods flavored with ingredients from the bar. Just make sure to ask twice if you order the Scotch Egg.

　　Examples: Campari-infused popcorn at Perbacco (San Francissco); Pigskin in a Blanket with house made kielbasa, wrapped in pastry served with Dogtown Pale mustard and pickles along with a Dogtown Pale Ale at Aurea at the Renaissance Stanford Park Hotel (San Francisco).

　　One-bite wonders. Pay-per-the-piece pre-appetizer courses priced less than US$5 each start to add up.

　　Examples: Lapsang souchong tea deviled eggs with Chinese bacon at E&O Asian Kitchen (San Francisco); Corkbar tastes (Los Angeles) “Test Kitchen Tuesdays” with $2 items like stuffed skate wing or a ricotta ravioli.