Menu Strategies
A monthly eNewsletter that crosses the boundaries between commercial and non-commercial foodservice, spotlighting the best in menu ideas.
Food
Menu Snapshot: Fresh to Order
“When we design food, it’s not just about how it looks and tastes and smells, it’s also about how it feels on your palate.”
Meet the chef Q&A: Michael Slavin
At Applebee’s, the food is just as important as the drinks, so Chef Michael Slavin, executive chef, product development and innovation, has incorporated unique yet approachable bar-bite items into the menu.
In light of today’s cronut craze, donut mania and pie palooza, capitalizing on America’s sweet tooth is a no-brainer. And there are a variety of ways that you can get in on this sweet action, whether you’re looking to update your current dessert offering or you are considering making additions to your menu.
A restaurant that shakes up the flavor spectrum with Crisp Braised Pork Shank with Stone Fruit Kimchee and Buttermilk Dressing is not about to bore you with one-dimensional desserts. After celebrity chef and co-owner Stephanie Izard’s inventive small plates are cleared at this Chicago dining destination, pastry chef Matthew Rice takes the baton and sends out desserts with multiple surprises in every bite.
Pairing food and beverages these days isn’t as clear cut as it once was. Recent reports find that consumers are looking beyond wine to beer, cocktails and even non-alcoholic options to pair with menu items. And the menu items that beverages are paired with today go well beyond steak and seafood—bar snacks, appetizers and vegetable entrées are also now prime pairing options.
Like its sibling restaurant Le Pigeon, Little Bird Bistro in Portland, Ore., is a playground for adventurous palates. “We have whole roasted marrow bones, lots of foie gras, a charcuterie board with six items made in house, a lot of tongue and blood sausage,” explains executive chef Erik Van Kley. He shares his inspiration and preparation tips for his award-winning, dinner-for-two entrée, Whole Rabbit Porchetta, an ideal addition to the restaurant’s meat-centric menu.