2024-01-27 08:04:35
Time.news – The years of the pandemic, between plexiglass distributions and ongoing home deliveries, have produced many changes in our restaurants. And today, with venues once again full of customers without disguise, it is not difficult to be sure how some classic elements, such as the menu, are reliving a sort of ‘new generation’, involved in an increasingly evident creative process of rebirth is connected to current events. The New York Times investigates these “emerging time capsules”. an interactive longform, intended to show how these elements have more people than ever. Even in the era of QR codes.
New trends
The journalists of the famous American newspaper returned to the editorial office with 121 ‘natural’ menus from as many restaurants. The following analysis, between the obvious elements and the more hidden details, allows us to draw some new ‘trends’ that they have in common.
Dishes that do not fail
There are some things that have struck gastronomic experts in particular. ‘Salad Caesar’, for example, is never lacking and has also conquered venues with a strong cultural influence, such as the Orient, Cuba or South America. However, everyone personalizes it by adding certain elements. It can also be found with miso, for example a little more.
Caviar is another ingredient that is popular. It can be found anywhere and in all possible forms, so much so that “you can even find it inside a Mexican quesadilla”, the report says. But Yuzu, a Japanese citrus fruit, also stands out, and, in terms of desserts, we note the return of pannacotta, a very popular dessert especially for its simplicity in a time of continuous improvement in raw materials.
There is also a very strong return to creativity when it comes to non-alcoholic beverages. The variety of teas, freshly pressed juices or non-alcoholic cocktails is increasing, with a more sophisticated and complex, which can be the value of their wine relatives .
The aesthetics
The menu is reduced. And in turn the characters and fonts used are smaller, lighter, easier to distinguish for the eyes. Many restaurants prefer a vertical menu no longer than half a page, a size we think is best for hand holding. In short, enough with pages to browse and, in addition, with many dishes to choose from.
Revolution also involves colors. White, cream, and more standard colors are giving way to ‘significant’, ‘Fluorescent’ units, with precise indicators. For example, Barbie’s representative ‘pink miracle’. The purpose, writes NYT, is also to create clear contrasts with the color choices adopted for the room, the tables and chairs and the environment.
Mascots and animals
Stand out also means identifying with increasingly original shapes, characters and animals. The menu now includes cutouts, abstract designs, artistic drawings inspired by figures such as Matisse, Chagall, Cocteau or even more modern artists. For experts, “restaurants have become brands” as “cultural icons”. And sometimes fashion choices like this pay off more than opting for high-end brands.
Informality wins
What appears to be a shake, a simple book, a general appearance of garbage can make many people turn up their noses but, in fact, these are often very clean choices to ensure a sense of access, familiarity and closeness between the chef and the customer. Humanity as the preponderant ‘goal’.
Sensitivity towards the official and the producer
There is a great attention to its workers, with the release of some initiatives, such as the presence of “work prices” intended to guarantee higher wages and more favorable conditions. 20% of the menus analyzed by the NYT also include statements, even rather long ones, that explain these policies. There is no shortage of team names, in the dining room and in the kitchen, with references to their specialties and talents.
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