What to Expect on '09 Menus

Beer, BBQ and ramen will tempt your palate next year

By Victoria Floethe, Newser Staff

Posted Dec 20, 2008 6:04 PM CST

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What to Expect on '09 Menus — After a wave of interest in European cheeses, American chefs are turning their attention to the growing domestic cheese scene. (Flickr)

Industry publication Flavor & The Menu predicts that casual, comfort flavor cues will drive restaurant trends in 2009; via MarketWatch, what your palate can look forward to:

Top culinary trend: Craft beers paired with sophisticated pub food.
Top concept trend: Urban barbecue, with more interesting preparations and sides.
Top comeback trend: The French bistro now has low-on-pretension appeal.
Top menu-making trend: Expect a snack attack, with small plates and their wine-bar kin spreading farther afield.
Top ethno-cuisine trend: Asian noodles, a la ramen and soba, get a variety of new interpretations.

Top sauce trend: Fruit.
Top high-impact ingredient: American artisanal cheeses.
Top buzzword: farm.
Top beverage trend: Latin refreshers such as aguas fresca and sangria add to your drink options.
Top dessert trend: Inspiration from Italy in items like soothing budino (Italian-style pudding), homey polenta cake, and semi-frozen specialties known as semifreddo.

(Read more restaurant stories.)

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