Have you ever heard of the Travel Channel television show, “Bizzare Foods?” Well, it’s not only the program’s host Andrew Zimmern who’s hungry for the taste of the exotic. In fact, according to two recent studies conducted by Mintel and the other by NPD, there’s a rise in adventurous eaters seeking to try different ethnic foods aside from the “big three” — Mexican, Chinese and Italian.

In the Mintel study, researchers cited data from their 2009 and 2010 “Global New Products Database” and found that there was a rapid growth in retail items with the descriptive words such as like, “Japanese,” “Caribbean,” and “Thai” evidencing consumers stepping out of their comfort zones when it came to cuisine. Actually, the word, “Japanese” had increased 230 percent and “Caribbean” at 150 percent more than years prior. And last summer, T.G.I. Friday’s introduced their Caribbean-style ribs.

New York based consumer research group, NPD, also cited a 3 percent increase in the term, “Japanese” in a survey that asked consumers what ethnic flavors were present in the food items they ordered.

Although there are still a somewhat slower tap into these different cuisines in the foodservice industry, there are still a growing number of restaurants seeking to expand their culinary spectrum. Take Boston Market, for instance, who serves two exotic sauces — a Sweet Thai Chili Garlic sauce and a Caribbean Island Mojo sauce. Mimi’s Cafe also introduced something very different; a Thai Chicken Noodle Bowl.

Greetings!

It’s all about the food! Food trends seem to be constantly evolving but Synergy is at the forefront of it all and making sure you’re in-the-know. Please explore our February newsletter to get on top of what’s hot and what’s not!

To your success,

Dean and Danny

A Passage to India: Could a quick-casual Indian chain finally be the Next Big Thing?

The press has been predicting the mainstream arrival of Indian food for several years now, but a recent R&D trip to New York City has convinced us that Indian cuisine’s time in the light is finally here.

What’s different now? The collision of a growing interest in street food with the ever-increasing popularity of authentic ethnic cuisine, especially ones that are boldly flavorful and inherently healthy.

Indian food is exotic and delicious, full of mysterious spices and haunting flavors. Its heavy reliance on vegetables rather than meat puts it right in line with some of the most current thinking on healthy diets, and makes Indian food appealing to vegetarians and omnivores alike. And Indian chefs (or those who are obsessed with Indian cuisine) are starting to introduce more regional specialties from this vast subcontinent, from tropical Goan seafood to the elaborate lamb dishes of Kashmir. You could spend an entire lifetime learning about Indian food, in fact.

We went to several Manhattan restaurants where authentic Indian cuisine has been put together with such “Western” touches as wine and cocktail programs, surefooted service and other mainstream markers.

• Michelin-starred Devi is one of the grand dames of the upscale Indian trend, showcasing the inspired interpretations of American Masala star-chef Suvir Saran and tandoor master Hemant Mathur.  A sophisticated wine and cocktail list and serene surrounds complement a menu touting items like Tandoor Grilled Halibut, Masala Fried Quail with Bengali mashed potatoes and paratha bread stuffed with spinach and goat cheese.

• Mint, located in the newly renovated SanCarlos Hotel, promises a “fresh taste of India” by introducing lesser-known North and South Indian specialties including Pakku (lamb with nutmeg and the fennel-like spice asafetida), Malai Kofta (vegetable and cheese dumplings) and Chicken Xacutti (cooked Goan style in coconut and aromatic spices).

• The culinary journey through India offered at Tamarind includes an unusual tea room menu highlighting the likes of Spinach Kofta Sandwiches and such exotic desserts as kulfi (traditional Indian ice cream) and gulab jamu (a pastry filled with dried milk and honey, as well as dozen of kinds of tea. There’s also a truly comprehensive a la carte menu exploring the assertively flavored specialties of Punjab, Hyderabad, Goa, Madras, Lucknow, and Calcutta.

Michelin stars? Hotel dining rooms? Sandwiches? That is indeed what it is coming to with Indian food.

But some of the most exciting New York City Indian concepts translate the beloved Indian tradition of street food—think savory snacks, or chaat, like pani puri, vada pav and dosa—which reaches its Nirvana in cities like Mumbai and Calcutta. These include The Kati Roll Company, Bombay Talkie, the Kosher vegetarian Bhojan, and Roti Roll Bombay Frankie (Hot Aloo Fries and Masala Calamari with cilantro mayo, anyone?). And any one of these could be the inspiration for the “Chipotle of Indian food.”

Food Trends: Found in Translation

Knowing that half the trendiest chefs are doing nose-to-tail cooking or Malaysian curry laksa is all well and good, but how can the rest of us leverage these cutting-edge developments—without blowing product cost sky-high or overwhelming a kitchen that’s not skilled enough?

It takes imagination, certainly, and perhaps a willingness to try on trendier items as specials before committing to them as menu staples. You also need to dumb it down a bit. We selected a few trends that are getting a lot of play in leading restaurants nowadays, and suggest ways to translate them for a more mainstream audience:

Cured Meats and Salumi

• Use domestic prosciutto or country ham instead of bacon as a garnish in salads or a flavor layer in sandwiches
• Offer a sausage sampler with grainy mustard as a small plate
• Create a “rillette” with smoked salmon or small shrimp (similar to potted shrimp)

Southern Regional Cuisine

• Discover pimiento cheese (a spicy mixture of cheddar, pimientos and mayo) and use it as a sandwich filling, burger topping or dip
• Desserts like cobbler, bread pudding and pecan pie are iconic Southern specialties
• Don’t forget beverages, from sweet tea and lemonade to Mint Juleps and Brandy Milk Punch

Bar Snacks

• Menu a devilled egg of the day
• Find a good frozen ready-to-bake soft pretzel and serve it with a spicy dipping sauce
• Remember that a “slider” no long has to be a burger (although it still can be): Can you do little grilled cheese or chicken salad sandwiches?

Our 2011 Guide Of Today’s Hot Quick Casual Concepts

We’re releasing our 2011 guide of what’s hot in the quick casual market to all of our Facebook fans on March 1st. This comprehensive report is a stimulating walk-through of some of the hottest quick casual concepts currently in the market, as well as some of our picks for up-and-coming new concepts. If you want to stay in the know, you need to head over to our Facebook page.

Tip of the Month!

Looking for ideas for promotions and special menus that go a bit outside the box?

Resources like Holiday Insights, Chase’s Calendar of Events and Gone-ta-Pott can clue you in on dates and spark some creative thinking on everything from National Hot Dog Day (July 21) and Ukrainian New Year’s to dates for upcoming lunar eclipses.

A baker can seem like the arch nemesis of a dieter, but an intriguing new study reveals that cocoa fiber may be a potential fat replacement. In the case of a baking a muffin, for example, one can replace the traditional vegetable oil with soluble cocoa fiber.

This interesting study, published in LWT – Food Science and Technology, further affirms that beyond the health benefits of replacing oil, extending shelf life and improvement in texture are other great benefits.

During the study, researches analyzed the outcomes of replacing 25, 50 and 75 percent of oil with soluble cocoa fiber. They looked for any discernible differences in flavor, texture and color. The results? The muffins baked with soluble cocoa fiber turned out moister, softer and contained greater sponginess along with a slower staling rate.

The drawbacks? Researches did notice a bitter flavor, stickiness, and loss of muffin height. There may be some methods to correct the height outcome which include beating in more egg whites or reformulating the leavening agent. In terms of taste, adding a bit more cocoa may correct the bitterness.

More research and studies will indicate how far this new discovery may go in the world of baking.

By Dean Small

Women are a much more influential group than men.

• Significantly more women than men consumed an alcoholic beverage in a casual dining chain in the past 30 days
• Taste and quality = much more important to women than price
• Most women look at beverage menus; only about 1/3 of men do
• Men rely more on the food menu, the staff, and “brand badges”
• Women are much more willing to try something new – especially when they’re in groups (men are just the opposite)

Waiting a long time for your order to be taken at a restaurant – this is an all-too-familiar scenario that is without question one of the worst customer experiences a diner can encounter. To combat this and to encourage fast service times, grill and salad bar chain Sizzler has been testing self-service kiosks at their El Segundo location. At these kiosks, customers can simply utilize the touch screen to make their food selections, get seated, and wait for their food to arrive. Results from the test have been showing a lot of promise. Not only have service times improved, but even better, check averages have increased.

Michael Branigan, Vice President of Marketing at Sizzler USA, noticed a 15 to 20 percent average check lift. Further, ordering time was cut in half, which is crucial during peak meal periods. An added plus is that the kiosks are easy to use for any age consumer whether they are 18 or 70 years old. The general manager at the El Segundo location has stated that there has been much positive reaction to the new kiosks. With the success at El Segundo, Sizzler plans to roll out these new kiosks to 5 more Sizzler locations in California. The brand of kiosks being used is the EMN8 Inc. kiosks — they have an easy interface, attractive food images, videos and suggestive text which is all great for upselling.

Synergy’s team is available for a free consultation on the implementation of systems described above.

While 2009-2010 shows that spirits barely came out on top as a favorite alcoholic beverage over beer, it is very clear that domestic beer is a favorite among drinkers. A recent study conducted by Mintel shows that 33% of drinkers are drinking less imported beers and more domestic crafts.

Interestingly a large percentage of drinkers, 59%, state they would like to try more craft and microwbrew beers if they were more knowledgeable in them. Through these findings, it is quite clear that educating consumers can assist the growth in craft and microbrew market. Garmina Goel Lal, Mintel senior analyst, says that craft beer has grown in popularity over the past 5 years and is popular amongst 25 – 34 year olds.

Price seems to be another reason why some people shy away from craft beers — basically, they are simply more expensive. All hope is not lost, however, as the craft beer market still shows signs of resiliency in this recession. The number of beer drinkers who drink less has been decreasing since 2009.

We have the pleasure of working with a wonderful Italian restaurant, Old Venice. The Synergy team has been hard at work assisting Old Venice with making new improvements to their current menu. We were featured in NEM360.com’s article regarding our recent visits:

“By early summer, Old Venice Pizza Co. hopes to roll out a new menu at its four locations in Tupelo, Oxford, Starkville and Memphis.

Read the full story.

The statistics are staggering — more than one-third of children and two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. With typical diets loaded with sugar, saturated fats and countless of calories, it is no surprise that without intervention, the statistics will only increase and our nation will be even more at risk for ailments like diabetes and heart disease.

As a result, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the release of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, aimed to promote healthy eating habits that can decrease risks associated with obesity.

So what are some of the recommendations? A little common sense with the following recommendations can assist in transforming your eating habits:

• Eat more fruits and vegetables (especially dark green vegetables)
• Avoid sugary drinks – try water instead
• Read nutrition labels! Avoid high in sodium foods
• Stay away from oversized portions
• Drink low-fat or skim milk

See the official press release for full guidelines.

Even restaurants are taking charge and changing their menus to include healthy items. Furthermore, federal mandates for restaurants to post nutritional information has encouraged restaurants to re-think the foods they offer to their customers. This includes anything from offering fruit as a side dish for kids’ meals, fries seasoned with sea salt, or serving oatmeal and fruit for breakfast. The bottom line is that nutrition is key for living a healthy life. Consumers are finally realizing this importance and restaurants need to take notice! If you own a restaurant, the Synergy consulting team can offer a free consultation for menu development and nutritional labeling.