Asian foods and flavors are moving rapidly into the mainstream, as evidenced by the success of items at several major chains. Take The Cheesecake Factory, for example, which sold roughly two million Asian-inspired appetizers last year, or burger specialist Carl’s Jr.’s teriyaki burger, which received the highest consumer taste test ratings of any sandwich in the chain’s history. Similarly, nine-year-old Adrianna Montgomery bested more than 16,000 other contestants under age 10 in Red Robin’s annual Next Gourmet Burger Kids’Contest. Her winning spicy Asian burger included won ton strips, sesame seeds and ginger-wasabi sauce.
The menu megatrend was also the focus of The Culinary Institute of America’s Worlds of Flavor confab held last November at the Greystone campus in Napa Valley, Calif. The program provided an in-depth look at the gastronomic traditions of the East and their implications to American menus.
The good news for corporate chefs: Four key items are common to all Asian cuisines, and their approachability and accessibility make it possible to give standard items an Asian accent.
Rice. Considering that rice is an Asian menu icon, it’s surprising that some operators continue to treat it as nothing more than a plate filler to add visual heft to entrées. The addition of a few ingredients can transform a ho-hum commodity from everyday to ethnic.
For example, to take the sting out of eating healthfully, T.G.I. Friday’s low-fat Dragonfire Chicken pairs chicken breast in kung pao sauce with stir-fried brown rice spiked with pineapple pico de gallo. At Ruby Tuesday, diners can choose a brown rice pilaf with any entrée, including Asian salmon with a peanut-barbecue glaze. Yard House’s miso Chilean sea bass is served with jasmine rice, the fragrant variety from Thailand, while Indonesian fried rice spices up the grilled jumbo shrimp.
Noodles. Consumers love noodles in all shapes and sizes. A truly international comfort food. Made from a wide range of ingredients such as rice, buckwheat or potato flours or corn or bean starches, they are served hot or cold and prepared by steaming, stir frying or deep-fat frying.
And more chain chefs are exploring their potential. Claim Jumper’s Malaysian steak salad features thick udon noodles typical of Japan, while Chinese garlic noodles appear as an appetizer at Yard House. Thai noodle salad accompanies the lettuce-wrap appetizer at Champps, and Sweet Tomatoes offers a vegan dish of Mandarin noodles and broccoli. Noodles are served chilled on Rock Bottom Brewery’s Emperor’s Salad, which also includes crispy won ton strips.
The outlook is bright for Asian noodles on American menus. Legions of night owls have discovered the joy of ramen noodles, a favorite at college dorms and a door-opener for future noodle exploration.
Dumplings. Often found as street food in Asia, dumplings have become staples on casual-dining bills of fare, like the long-running Singapore shrimp rolls at California Pizza Kitchen, which are filled with ingredients like shiitake mushrooms, bean sprouts and cilantro. The Cheesecake Factory covers the bases with classic pan-fried pot stickers and Vietnamese shrimp summer rolls.
The operation’s sibling chain, Grand Lux Cafe, serves double-stuffed potato spring rolls. Enrobed in crispy Asian wrappers, they are topped with melted Cheddar, applewood smoked bacon and green onion. Since mashed potatoes are at least as irresistible as dumplings, the unorthodox marriage of the two has got to be a crowd pleaser.
Aromatics. Asian dishes appeal to all the senses and are notable for their recognition that aroma can be a powerful lure. Oriental herbs and spices that provide both a tempting smell and a pleasing taste are a boon for chain chefs.
Sodexho’s masala tikka turkey burger has curry leaves, cumin seeds and fresh cilantro. Similarly, the Pan-Asian chicken pizza at Così gets a boost from red curry and lemongrass.
Cilantro has gone mainstream and appears in Einstein Bros’s Thai salad with chile-lime dressing and in the ahi tuna salad served with banana-ginger vinaigrette at Houlihan’s.
Soup has made a comeback on chain menus, particularly in the fast-casual segment, and it’s readily compatible with Asian aromatics. At bakery-cafe specialist Au Bon Pain, customers can select a carrot-ginger soup or a Thai coconut-curry soup.
Looking ahead, the appearance of Asian ingredients on chain menus will only increase as consumers, educated by travel and television, embrace these flavors. And operators in all segments of the industry should prepare for the impact of the upcoming summer Olympics in Beijing, which will put Chinese cuisine firmly in the spotlight.