Dubai chocolate bar-inspired items reached peak menu saturation last spring, with everything from shakes to doughnuts, pancakes, coffees and desserts boasting a chocolate-pistachio-kataifi flavor profile.
The original Dubai chocolate bar first became a viral sensation on TikTok before it landed on menus. But there are thousands of food and drink ideas and hacks flooding social feeds. How does one rise above the others and grab the menu spotlight?
We don’t claim to have the answer. But these three trends have caught our eye recently, and maybe they have potential for your menu.
Fluffy juice
From frothy cold foams topping coffee drinks to airy milkshakes and smoothies, fluff has become an essential component in beverages. Enter fluffy juice—whipped fruit juice that’s been aerated to enhance mouthfeel and presentation. Some bartenders are substituting fluffy juice for regular, creating cocktails with more textural interest and pizzazz.
The Garibaldi, a signature drink invented at Dante, a New York City apertivo bar, is said to have started the trend. The ingredients are simple: Campari and orange juice. But it’s the prep that sets Dante’s version apart. The bar uses a high-speed juicer to aerate the fresh orange juice and make it fluffy.
Orange may have been the first fluffy fruit juice, but it’s certainly not the last. Whipped grapefruit, pineapple, watermelon and peach are also adaptable to the technique. And fluffy sodas have evolved from the initial juice trend—a spin on dirty sodas with the addition of marshmallow fluff and cream.
Japanese crepe cones
Edible cones made out of crepes are not new, but Japanese-inspired concepts are taking them in new directions. T-Swirl, a mini chain with locations in New York, California and several other states, is patterned after Tokyo street crepe sellers. Gluten-free rice flour is used to craft the crepes, and they’re filled with ingredients like matcha custard, Nutella, gelato, chocolate truffle, fresh berries and fruit and nuts. There are savory versions too, filled with crabmeat and avocado, chicken teriyaki and BLT ingredients.
A recent variation catching attention on social is the crème brûlée crepe cone. The rice flour crepe is filled custard, custard cream, cornflakes and fresh fruit, typically strawberries or bananas. The top is then caramelized with a blowtorch to create a crackly shell.
Millet Crepe in LA offers its crème brûlée version, its most popular crepe, according to the website. It’s filled with custard and a choice of other ingredients; sugar is sprinkled on top and the crepe is torched to order.
Halloumi fried eggs
Turkish breakfast was a hot trend on TikTok a couple years back, with an egg dish called cilbir one of the stars. It featured a base of thick, garlicky yogurt topped with poached eggs, spiced olive oil and red pepper flakes.
Now a dish called halloumi fried eggs is in the spotlight, using the Turkish cheese halloumi to create a crispy, savory crust. The prep embraces two current food cravings: high protein and melted cheese.
Halloumi fried eggs are relatively simple to make. The shredded cheese is fried until golden; halloumi is a type of cheese that retains its shape and crisps up. Then eggs are cracked directly into the center, sunnyside up. The two cook together until the yolks are set but runny, the cheese is crisped and the edges can be folded over.
A tasty way to revive a boring brunch menu.
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