Operators Join the Asian Appetizer Movement

If anything is a sure bet in the restaurant business today, it’s the appeal of Asian appetizers. Sharable bites like egg rolls, potstickers, wontons and the like create excitement at the table in a wide variety of settings. They intersect with at least three dynamic trends — the thriving interest in Asian flavors, the popularity of small plates dining and the increase in off-hours meals and snacks, all of which are on the rise. In fact, the National Restaurant Association’s What’s Hot in 2011 chef survey named ethnic/street food-inspired appetizers one of the top food trends of the day.

That’s why a growing number of chain and independent restaurant operators are capitalizing on the drawing power and profitability of Asian-inspired appetizers and small plates.

“Quite frankly, I am perfectly comfortable with people coming in and just ordering two or three appetizers and a glass or bottle of wine and calling it a day,” said Greg Carey, president and COO of Flat Out Crazy Restaurant Group, the Chicago-based parent company of Stir Crazy Fresh Asian Grill and Flattop Grill, two casual dining concepts. “It is a neat way of eating and you can experience a number of different taste profiles that way.”

Carey likened ordering Stir Crazy appetizers to enjoying dim sum, a traditional Chinese meal similar to brunch that features multiple bite-sized dishes shared with companions. Its appetizer section includes Pan Seared Potstickers in chicken, pork and lobster variations, served with dipping sauces like light soy ginger, mild chili plum and Thai red curry, Vegetable Spring Rolls with a Vietnamese-style sweet and sour sauce and Crab Rangoons, crispy wontons filled with seasoned cream cheese and crab meat.

“Some of the hottest restaurants in the country are small plates restaurants — small plate Asian, small plate Italian,” added Carey. “Small plates and appetizer or dim sum sections offer guests the opportunity to have a taste of this and a taste of that and leave very satisfied.”

Even the most jaded New York palates may be stirred by the novel combinations found on the small plates of Wong, chef-owner Simpson Wong’s new “Asian locavore” eatery in Manhattan. Wong credits a dish like his Shrimp Fritters, featuring gulf shrimp, jicama and garlic sprouts fried in a savory batter and served on a bed of rice noodles, Asian pears and sunflower sprouts, to his experiences with street foods in China, Indonesia and Vietnam. “I found tons and tons of inspiration there,” said Wong.

However, you don’t have to travel very far to find Asian flair these days. American tastes have broadened to the point that Asian appetizers can be found on all sorts of menus, even those unconnected to the cultures of the Far East.

An example is the menu of Ruby Tuesday, a casual chain based in Maryville, Tenn., that uses the tagline Simple Fresh American Dining. Its wide-ranging appetizer selection includes Asian Dumplings, which are filled with a blend of chicken and seasonings, steamed and seared and served with sesame-peanut sauce.

Such an item appeals not only to devoted fans of Asian cuisines, but also to those who are just discovering them. Menu trends analyst Nancy Kruse, president of The Kruse Company in Atlanta, observed that many customers take “culinary baby steps” when they explore Asian dining, preferring to try items that are small and low in price, like appetizers.

“The other major advantage of appetizers at the moment is that, by virtue of their smaller size, they appeal to both budget- and diet-conscious diners,” said Kruse. “And their informal nature that promotes hands-on dining and sharing is a real plus as well.”