Did you know that almost 1 in 10 people have some form of a food allergy which forces them to eat food that does not contain high fructose, wheat, nuts or proteins that are not injected with hormones and antibiotics? On a recent trip to a new Whole Foods Market in Irvine, CA, I was pleasantly surprised as to the quality of the food and merchandising that caters toward this health-conscious crowd and those with special eating requirements.

It is clear that healthy eating is not a trend but a movement. What is even more apparent is the need for foodservice establishments to address the needs of this ever-growing group of eaters, or else miss out on a large opportunity for expansion. Consumers realize that as they get older they have to change the way they think about food if they want to live longer. Additionally, the obesity epidemic in American has created a large concern amongst our population.

What does this mean to the restaurant owner? Are you providing nutritional information to your guests? Do you have a selection of menu offerings that speaks to this market? Have you set any internal standards for developing nutritionally sound menu selections? The FDA now requires that restaurant companies (with more than 20 units) to provide nutritional information on their menu in accordance to the new health care legislation. Under this law, restaurants are required to post their food’s calorie content and other nutritional content including, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, sugar, fiber and protein must be available upon request. With some food items with many ingredients, this task can become rather complex and results may be inaccurate. In an effort to support this new movement and law, Synergy has developed a special team that provides nutritional analysis for foodservice establishments.

More food for thought: beyond the bare-bones compliance of the new law, it is crucial to consider your existing food offerings – does your menu contain healthy alternatives? Do you have vegetarian choices? Do you have any vegan menu selections? In what ways can you cater to this healthy movement? Constant menu development remains an important topic in the restaurant industry which is why we at Synergy focus on this subject with all of our clients.

We are always looking at restaurants concepts that require a low capital investment, delivers a strong ROI and easy to execute against.  Moreover it needs to be scalable, have a clear point of differentiation and provide a craveable product with a memorable guest experience.

Last week I drove 90 miles in LA traffic ( 3 hours) to Agoura Hills to visit Urbane Café.  This 1,300 square foot cafe packs a lot into this small footprint. Urbane Cafe is a fast-casual soup and salad place that promotes the “Fresh Way To Eat” (and whose tagline is “Gourmet Sandwiches, Salads & More”). They are a fast growing chain with 5 locations throughout California.

I was very impressed by their offerings, particularly the bread! In fact, their bread is baked fresh all day long and in front of the guest to view! Their homemade foods, especially the signature focaccia bread, commands the attention of every guest that walks through the door as that is the very first thing you see. This focus definitely creates a uniqueness that is hard to find in many chain fast-casual restaurants.

During my trip here, I enjoyed several great sandwiches. And get this – all items are priced under $7.00. With such a price value, it is clear that this new restaurant will be a head on competitor to the establishments such as Panera or even Chipotle.

You may remember a couple of months ago when I wrote about Pizza being the “next big thing” in the restaurant industry. Being a native New Yorker and well traveled restaurant consultant, I must admit that there are quite a few things I know about what makes pizza amazing. My partners and I literally travel the nation on our “eating missions” to explore various cuisines from countless restaurants. On my quest to find the best pizza and to hone my pizza palate, I even went as far as spending 6 weeks in Italy starting in Naples (the birthplace of pizza), touring all of Sicily and many of the islands throughout Sardinia.  Needless to say, I have eaten a lot of pizza over the last four decades.

So what makes PitFire pizza so great? Well, it’s a combination of the Ph in the water, they use the right flour and that they cook their pizza in a wood-fired kiln.

If you haven’t noticed, many new pizza concepts are now using solid fuel like charcoal and wood fired pizza. When you hear these terms used to describe pizza, it is referring to the method the pizza is cooked, for example in an oven with burning charcoal or burning wood.

Let’s take a look a new concept I recently visited, Pitfire Artisan Pizza. With a tagline that reads, “the crust you can trust,” I knew I was in for something good. Pitfire Pizza in Los Angeles, bakes their rustic, hand crafted pizzas in wood fire kilns that reaches temperatures of over 900 degrees. And I’ve got to agree, the crust here is amazing! Crispy, fluffy, yet chewey and slightly charred, Pitfire has definitely created a signature memorable pizza crust. Check out the photos:

At Synergy, we believe in the value of perfecting your craft and being known for something special –standing out among the rest. Among many new artisan pizzerias popping up lately, we believe Pitfire has taken on this challenge  quite successfully, ranking very closely to one of my favorite pizza concepts, Mozza Pizzeria. With more and more pizza restaurants concentrating on quality, old-fashioned and authentic techniques and ingredients, the competition is getting fierce!

If you haven’t had the chance to visit Café Rio, now is the time! Headquarted in Salt Lake City, Utah, Café Rio is fast expanding Mexican fast casual food concept with over 30 locations in Utah, Nevada, Idaho, California, Colorado, Arizona and by the end of this year, Virginia and Boise.

What makes a restaurant memorable? One of the pillars in restaurant excellence is being truly known for something that makes your establishment stand out from the crowd. In this case, besides the stellar service at Café Rio, what specifically stood out the most on my visit were the freshly cooked tortillas, grilled meats, a uniquely fun atmosphere and decor at a great price.  In fact, in Café Rio was awarded “Sandelman and Associates’ 2009 Quick Track Award of Excellence and was rated the number-one quick-service Mexican restaurant in the nation for customer satisfaction, an Oscar equivalent in the restaurant industry,” according to their recent press release. This is why I say Café Rio “gets it!”. If I had to pick between Chipotle and Cafe Rio I would definitely choose Cafe Rio.

You’re hungry, it’s almost 15 minutes until lunch, but today you’ve only got half an hour to purchase and eat your meal. Without hesitation you hop onto the corner deli’s website to order your favorite pastrami sandwich. Browse. Click. Order. Pickup. This is a common scenario consumers go through each day – using new technology to simplify their lives just a bit.

Business people have taken notice that consumers are drawn to services that cater to their needs and create convenience. Not surprisingly, restaurants are increasingly integrating online ordering systems to accommodate these wants. And why wouldn’t they? Having an online ordering system is abundant in advantages.

No waiting: Who likes waiting in line? With an online ordering system, a patron can schedule their order ahead of time and it would be ready by the time they arrive.

Ease of ordering: You can furnish your online menu with photos of each dish, the price, suggestions and an area where the customer can give special instructions (wheat bread, no mayo, extra onions).

Shorter lines: As more customers order online, restaurant lines can decrease!

Insights: After time, you can begin analyzing the type of foods customers order, how often, how much, and when. All this is valuable for understanding what your customer wants.

Increased sales: When you provide a consumer with more options, they have a higher chance of becoming a repeat customer. Not everyone is content with traditional means of food ordering and because many restaurants are already utilizing this new technology, you will be disadvantaged in an already competitive environment.

Why are some restaurants still not utilizing this? One reason can be that technology is a bit intimidating to some managers and owners, however please note you don’t have to be a tech guru to do so. As food consultants with over 20 years of experience, we’ve seen trends come and go. In the case of online ordering, it is certain that utilizing this technology will increase sales and that this “trend” will soon become a standard that consumers will look for and expect. If you’re serious about implementing an online ordering system, quickly and efficiently please contact Synergy.

When people think of cupcake shops, the name Sprinkles usually comes to mind. On our latest eating mission, we visited the Sprinkles of the East Coast, Crumbs Bake Shop. Founded in 2003 by Mia & Jason Bauer on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Crumbs has been well-received and loved for their delicious cupcakes. Serving up the classics like carrot cake, and red velvet (over 50 varieties total!), Crumbs adds their special twist by offering three cupcake sizes: the Signature size measures a whopping 4.5 inches across, then there is the Classic size at 3 inches wide and finally the Taste size which is 2.25 inches across.

Check out our photos from our trip to Crumbs Bake Shop

How popular have cupcakes become? Well, let’s take a look at the unofficial stats. According to the blog, Cupcakes Take the Cake, there are currently approximatley 422 cupcake bakeries in the U.S. and counting! There are even cupcake shows baking up on T.V. like Food Network’s Cupcake Wars where contestants compete for a $10,00 prize by creating uniquely delicious (and pretty) cupcakes where the winner is decided by a panel of judges, one of which is founder of Sprinkles, Candace Nelson.

Perhaps the lure and charm of cupcakes can be best explained by Crumbs, “Perfectly formed. Lovely to look at. Delicious to eat. Cupcakes delight both the eyes and the soul.”

Called The Lighter Stuff menu it is comprised of six healthy items, all less than 400 calories and six grams of fat.

The following items are featured on The Lighter Stuff menu:

• Deli Trio Sub: Slow-cured ham, oven-roasted turkey, top-round roast beef with tomatoes, lettuce and onion – 330 Calories for 6″ Sub
• Asian Teriyaki Chicken Sub: Served hot – Grilled chicken breast and onion in a sweet teriyaki sauce – 370 Calories for 6″ Sub
• Veggie Salad Sub: Lettuce, tomato, onion, banana peppers, roasted red peppers, black olives and vinegar – 270 Calories for 6″ Sub
• Turkey and Sweet & Spicy Mustard Sub: Oven-roasted turkey, tomato, lettuce, onion and sweet & spicy mustard – 340 Calories for 6″ Sub
• Ham and Pepper Relish Sub: Slow-cured ham and tomatoes topped with a relish of banana, sweet and red peppers and black olives – 330 Calories for 6″ Sub
• Buffalo Chicken Salad: Crisp lettuce blend topped with buffalo chicken breast, tomatoes, onion and banana peppers – 170 Calories (No Dressing)

Every sub and salad on the Blimpie restaurant menu is made with fresh-sliced meats and crisp vegetables. The quality of the ingredients adds to the nutrition value and appetizing taste. With the freedom to customize any sub or salad, Blimpie customers can make any item on the Blimpie menu healthier by asking for no cheese and/or dressing and adding extra veggies.

As an informed restaurant owner, you can help customers make healthier choices and still enjoy the convenience of a restaurant. Here are a few tips you can pass on to your patrons when they order:

Watch your salt. Restaurant food often tends to be very high in sodium, a major contributor to high blood pressure. Ask if they prefer less salt or suggest different spices on the meal.

Buffets. Your guests most likely overeat to get their money’s worth. If you do choose to offer buffet dining, opt for fresh fruits, salads with olive oil & vinegar or low-fat dressings, broiled entrees and steamed vegetables. Resist the temptation to promote “all you can eat’ signs, or suggest they enjoy themselves and wait at least 20 minutes after eating to make sure they’re really still hungry before going back for more.

Eat Mindfully. Make Healthy Suggestions: Ask patrons to pay attention to the flavors and savor each bite. Don’t rush! Take time to enjoy the food more thoroughly and avoid eating on the run. Being mindful also means stopping before you feel bloated and overly full. It takes time for our bodies to register that we have eaten. Mindful eating relaxes, so you digest better, and makes you feel more satisfied…and satisfied is what you want of all your patrons.

Remember the big picture. Think of eating out in the context of a whole diet. Ask if this is a special occasion, or if they want to order a favorite meal when they sit down. Planning a little bit ahead can help guests relax and enjoy their dining out experience while maintaining good nutrition and diet control. And since you have assisted, they will come again.

Dr. Andrew Weil’s True Food Kitchen (a Fox Restaurant concept) is unlike any restaurant you’ve been to. If you not familiar with Dr. Weil, as a brief introduction, “Andrew Weil, M.D., has devoted the past thirty years to developing, practicing, and teaching others about the principles of integrative medicine…Twice on the cover of TIME magazine and author of 10 books, Andrew Weil, M.D. has become “The voice of reason in a deeply divided world,” according to the San Francisco Examiner,” as described on http://www.drweil.com.

It goes without saying, then, that Weil’s own restaurants would be designed after his anti-inflammatory food pyramid. Essentially, following this diet can help counteract chronic inflammation which is thought to be the root cause of many illnesses.

Synergy has had the pleasure to eat at Weil’s newest location at Fashion Island in Newport Beach, California. Food on the menu includes a hunge range of creative and fresh dishes such as green tea soba noodles with peas, bok choy and ginger and organic, shrimp, kale pesto, artichoke and goat cheese pizza. And for refreshments, wash your meal down with natural elixirs like the Red Moon – pink grapfruit, Yuzu, agave and soda.

If you’re seeking a refreshing change from the norm, check out True Food Kitchen.

Asian Meatballs with Rice Noodles and Mint. Belly Dog with Kimchi Salsa and Egg Noodle. These are just a couple of Latin and Asian fusion dishes off the menu at Belly Shack located in Chicago. Our recent eating mission to the Midwest and Eastcoast focused on exploring fresh, unique restaurant concepts and Belly Shack was a great example of this.

Head chef and managing partner, Bill Kim, along with wife and managing partner, Yvonne Cadiz-Kim, took their Korean and Puerto Rican heritages to create dishes that harmoniously (and deliciously) showcased the flavors of the regions. Take for instance, the “Boricua Sammich” – with crispy plantains, Chinese black beans, marinated tofu and organic brown rice – a smart fusion of Latin and Asian ingredients. If you’re feeling a bit more daring, don’t forget to try out the soft serve ice cream with chocolate brownie and bacon!

But you won’t find traditional Asian or Latin décor in this eatery. Actually, with the black and gray paint, graffitti art on the walls, concrete and plywood fixtures, this restaurant boasts more of an urban-industrial feel.

If you’re ever in the Chicago area, check out Belly Shack if you’re in the mood for something different!