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Don’t get us wrong, we love a fried egg roll or crunchy wonton as much as the rest of America. But for those looking to delve deeper into this appealing cuisine, and meld the hot, the spicy and the sweet with authenticity and respect, the appetizer tray may be completely transformed in 2016.
There’s much we can learn from Asian cuisine, particularly the emphasis on building and balancing flavors within a dish, says Mike Kostyo of Datessentials, a research firm for the foodservice industry. For instance, the key to Korea’s classic bibimbap is the way the marinated vegetables and beef play off each other; a very different taste experience than brushing beef with sriracha sauce and placing it on a skewer. Sweet flavors are more common than expected, but cheese isn’t used as frequently as it is on the American appetizer menu. Start with appetizers and sides that already have high penetration on menus, advises Kostyo, and take them to the next level. “Consumers are already familiar with dumplings, egg rolls and wontons, so operators looking to expand on that can incorporate more authentic flavors and ingredients.” Begin with a wellknown ingredient, like a dumpling but add togarashi and sashito peppers to evoke a more genuine Asian experience. Consider these: xiaolongbao, or Chinese soup dumplings; goi cuon, Vietnamese spring rolls; lumpia, Filipino egg rolls filled with lobster or crabmeat; and bao, steamed buns with a variety of fillings. Don’t be intimidated by the surge of Asian-centric offerings, as
chains like Ippudo Ramen from Japan, BonChon and Bibigo from South Korea, Little Sheep from China and Jollibee from the Philippines, arrive stateside. Chef casual and fine dining restaurants continue to incorporate the cuisine as well, such as Pok Pok’s take on the foods of Thailand, now open in Portland, LA and NY. On Chicago’s west side, Matthias Merges drew on his Japanese travels and high profile as executive chef at Charlie Trotter’s to launch Yusho, inspired by the energy and sensibility of the culture and cuisine. “The presentation is clean, uncluttered and precise; product is first and foremost,” he says. “Being an American from Chicago, I did not want to copy or recreate a Japanese restaurant or Izakaya,” explains Merges. “I wanted to create a cuisine and environment which was unique but spoke to place.” Yusho delivers on all levels, serving up more than just a meal to a savvy dining public. “The biggest misconception people have is that all Japanese food is based around sushi, and this could not be further from the truth,” says Merges. His menu stretches way beyond, starting with appetizers like crispy fried chicken in a puffy bao (bun), loaded French fries served with sudachi-chili mayo, lamb tskune accompanied by charred shishitos and Szechuan pepper…and bowls of luscious ramen. continued on following page...
86 RFSDELIVERS.COM ISSUE 2, 2016
beyond asian appetizers are springing to life on american menus By Mindy Kolof