Restaurants have long known that consumers have an appetite for fried foods, but the types of foods hitting the hot oil looks to be changing. According to a recent report from
Nations Restaurant News, new vegetables and other foods options are starting to appear as deep fried items on menus. Previously unpopular foods, such as brussels sprouts and pickles, are showing up on
menus across the nations as chefs hone in on changing consumers tastes.
Foods that previously were relegated to niche restaurants are starting to gain consumer favor, with options such as fried pickles appearing on
182% more menus in 2013 than in 2009. That is an incredible jump in just a few years, and coincides with the changing flavor trends that
NRN and others have predicted and observed, with an increasing percentage of customers calling for more spicy, savory and sour items. Some chefs are guessing that consumers are interested in trying new flavors, but are somewhat cautious. By deep frying items, such as oysters, which also appeared on more menus, chefs are giving patrons an opportunity to test new flavors by using familiar means of preparation.
While items such as pickles, green tomatoes and even hearts of palm are finding a new lease on life as fried side dishes, other long time staples are beginning to lose ground. Onion rings, for example, appeared on
10% less menus in 2013 than in 2009. Other past favorites, such as cheese sticks and fried chicken strips, also appeared on fewer menus.
Has your restaurant or bar menu shifted in line with these trends? Do you have any new sour or spicy deep fried items prepared for your next menu? Let us know via Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Source:
Nation's Restaurant News,
Image Credit (Flickr: Opacity)
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