The Asian Restaurant News Trend Watcher Report

Here are some of the latest trends in Asian Restaurants, as well as the hottest new ones to try: Trend: Talking about your cuisine, price and specials Hot New Trend: Talking about the experience and the décor Trend: Working with the five tastes: sweet, salt, sour, bitter and umami Hot New Trend: Working with the sixth element: Sensation (using Chile, black pepper, etc.) Trend: Staff learns on their own to balance trays Hot New Trend: Employing dance instructors to train the restaurant’s front of the house service staff on the basics of movement. Trend : Miso, Green tea, Tofu, Wasabi, Sake Hot New Trend: Black rice, Bubble (boba) tea—with tapioca “pearls,” Pomelo and yuzu Kaffir lime Trend: Offering healthy alternative meals Hot New Trend: Offering the same meals in a healthy way by substituting ingredients, adjusting recipes to lower calories, fat content or sodium. Sources: Culinary Trend Mapping Report, Center for Culinary Development/Packaged Facts Inc.; www.foodproductdesign.com