ASIAN FLAVORS AND INGREDIENTS TO WATCH DATASSENTIAL, 2019
Asian Whiskeys
Asian whiskey brands were some of the fastest- growing options on menus over the past year. While brown spirits like bourbon have been growing both in drinks and menu items (think bourbon-maple french toast and bourbon chocolate cake), they are starting to make way for their Asian counterparts.
Cheese Tea
This drink has been making the leap from Asia to the US, featuring iced tea with a salty-sweet cheese foam topping. It may sound unique, but cheesecake flavors and Starbucks’ salted cream cold foam aren’t far removed.
Katsu Sando
“Katsu sandos are everywhere, and we’re here for it,” declared Bon Appetit earlier this year. The simple combination of pork or Wagyu beef on Hokkaido milk bread has been showing up in major metropolitan areas in the US, often with eye-popping prices that get attention.