FOOD

FOOD Canadian restaurant trends to watch for in 2021

by Charlie Smith

Every year, even pandemic years, have their restaurant trends. In 2020, they included Nashvillestyle hot chicken sandwiches, nondairy milks, sriracha mayo, and those ubiquitous poké bowls.

In the grocery stores, it was nondairy milks, whether they’re made from oats, almonds, soy, coconut, or cashews. Some offer better hydration; others have fewer calories. Another draw is that these milks don’t come from methane-emitting cattle, which is a definite plus for climate keeners. They’re also great for the lactose-intolerant and for the vegans among us. However, they’re not always as affordable as dairy milk.

Just in time for 2022, Restaurants Canada has released its list of food trends to watch for in the new year. The national nonprofit association represents establishments with more than 80,000 locations and more than one million employees. Here are some things that the association is expecting to gain greater favour with consumers.

BUZZLESS SPIRITS Health-conscious consumers are less inclined to get pie-eyed after work in the bar than back in the ’80s and ’90s. Companies like Grüvi and Seedlip are trying to cash in by offering nonalcoholic beverages for those who want to hang out with friends while remaining clear-eyed the morning after.

INGREDIENT AWARENESS Nutrients are king for those who want to boost their immunity. And Restaurants Canada expects this to move up on consumers’ priority lists in the coming year.

ADAPTOGENIC FOOD AND BEVERAGE This phrase is a bit of a mouthful. It actually refers to products that not only benefit physical health but also promote mental wellbeing. “Beverage brands like Boreal Botanical Brewing are stepping the game up with adaptogenic drinks, beverages that contain ingredients which work to prevent the effect of stress on the body,” Restaurants Canada states. “Even the superfood beetroot is finally joining ingredients front and centre as a nutritional and circulatory health powerhouse in Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s new Grass Fed Organic Beetroot Honey Yogurt.”

FARM-TO-PHONE If you can get cannabis, liquor, and a McDonald’s Big Mac delivered, why not fresh produce direct from the farm? A Toronto company, Bae Greens, promotes vertical farming of microgreens in the city. Products are harvested, delivered, and enjoyed on the same day.

ROBOTS TO THE RESCUE Earlier this year, the Straight reported that an Edmonton company, GreenCo Robots, has created mechanical assistants to busy servers. These robots debuted in B.C. in Happy Lamb Hot Pot in Richmond’s Lansdowne Centre. Restaurants Canada expects to see more touchless ordering, digital menus, and, yes, robots in the dining industry in the coming year. The best thing for servers is that they don’t have to share their tips with a machine.

365 DAYS OF ALFRESCO DINING COVID-19 stimulated tremendous interest in patio dining across the region. The highly contagious Omicron variant is likely going to intensify that desire. It’s also spurring an industry in the patio-creating business with companies like Unichairs Inc. and Pop Up Street Patios offering solutions to beleagured restaurateurs. Canada, of course, is a cold country. Just witness what B.C. residents experienced in the days after Christmas. But other companies, like Bum Contract and Mensa Heating, have figured out how to keep patios toasty even when the thermometer is dipping lower.

If we learned anything during the past 22 months, it’s that the restaurant industry has remained resilient in the face of unprecedented adversity. g

NEW to the Drive Bringing Yummy Treats & Healthy Smoothies to the Drive! Covid Art Café Covid Art Café

Showcasing Local & NFT Artists Christmas Special Donuts: the Grinch & Pink Dragon

AND… Alpha, Omega & Beta Donuts

served in Reusable Cloth

931 Commercial Drive

604.228.6007 Open Daily 10 AM - 10 PM

Early in the pandemic, H Tasting Lounge unveiled five transluscent garden domes that enabled groups of six diners to remain apart from other groups on its patio. Photo by H Tasting Lounge.

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tats ON FOOD ORDERING

SkipTheDishes says garlic naan was its most ordered item. Photo by Timokefoto.

d SKIPTHEDISHES has delivered some startling statistics from its database of orders during the past year. The most frequent user in Canada submitted more than 1,475 orders. That works out to more than four orders a day. In Vancouver, the most frequent user crossed the 1,000 threshold by early December. As for the most expensive order of the year in B.C., it reached a whopping $999.99. The company’s most-ordered items in B.C. were miso soup, garlic naan, and California rolls. Across the country, SkipTheDishes said that the most frequently ordered items were garlic naan, butter chicken, and miso soup. And if this doesn’t meet your definition of too much information, SkipTheDishes customers across Canada ordered more than 17 million pieces of sushi, 17.1 million chicken wings, 1.9 million tacos, and 8.3 million pizzas in 2021, according to the company. g