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CONDIMENTS ON FIRE

Hot honey, sriracha, gochujang, harissa, jerk seasonings, and chili crisp…customers are craving their favorite foods notched up with spicy dips and sauces. How are restaurants embracing this trend?
Take a look!

  • Qdoba serves a Cholula hot & sweet chicken bowl alongside cilantro lime rice, black beans, fresh pico de gallo, sour cream, and cotija cheese.
  • The Parish in Tucson, Arizona kicks up their Carolina pulled pork pibil sandwich with habanero chile aioli and a refreshing side of papaya slaw.
  • Canada’s Cactus Club implements fiery flavors in several chicken dishes, including a Nashville hot, mini chicken sandwich with sambal mayo, Louisiana-style wings, and lettuce wraps with Szechuan glaze AND gochujang.
  • Buffalo Wild Wings coats their wings (both chicken and cauliflower) in a blazing hot Carolina Reaper chile sauce. They pair it with crunchy carrots and celery served with creamy-cool dressings like ranch, blue cheese, and crema.
  • Noodles & Company boosts the craveability of their Korean beef noodles with gochujang BBQ sauce, then top it with green onions, cilantro, cucumbers, and cabbage for balance.

PUSH THE LIMITS WITH FIERY, GLOBAL SAUCES

Diners are increasingly hyper-focused on high-protein and plant-based foods. Alongside all of the new-fangled, lab-based, cell-cultured options out there is the humble bean. A staple food for millenia, beans are being re-examined as a healthy, versatile ingredient worthy of menu inclusion.

  • Retro and heirloom recipes—like Southern succotash, French cassoulet, and Cajun red beans and rice—fit the bill for those in search of authenticity.
  • Most world cuisines incorporate some type of bean in their classic dishes. Think feijoada in Brazil, black beans and rice with plantains in Puerto Rico, and garbanzo beans in Israel. Modern interpretations of these recipes are packed with produce and herbs.
  • The creamy texture of mung beans is proving an ideal substitute for those that are eliminating soy from their diets.