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As recently as two years ago a lot of pundits were pooh-poohing the idea that food served in bowls was a trend with legs.
Boy, were they ever wrong.
Bowl-based menu options are proliferating, thanks to a confluence of unrelated developments.
Bowls arguably got their biggest boost when Chipotle popularized them as an alternative to burritos. Then they were embraced by the carb-shunning crowd, who opted for bowls over sandwiches. Filling a bowl with food made it somehow seem more substantial, less of a sacrifice.
Bowls were also ready-made for the trend toward dressed-down dining. Even super-upscale restaurants have taken to presenting food in bowls rather than the more formal and traditional white plate.
And let’s not forget social media: A beautifully composed bowl is conveniently sized for a terrific Instagram shot.
Chefs have jumped on the bowl bandwagon as well.
Jose Andrés, who built his considerable reputation on more refined fare, created an expansion vehicle with Beefsteak, a casual vegetable-centric concept serving “America’s bounty in a bowl.” His meals-in-a-bowl adhere to the formula so many chefs have followed: a mix of produce, grains, sauces, greens and toppings, usually paired with a protein.
And Campanile/La Brea Bakery veteran Mark Peel last year debuted Bombo, a seafood-focused concept in Los Angeles. Bombo specializes in bowls based on one of five fresh broths, a choice of pasta or steamed rice with flax seeds and one of various proteins.
Service is super-fast — from order to bowl in 3.5 minutes — and prices at Bombo are low, considering Peel’s pedigree, but that’s what he intended. The most expensive item on the menu, Seattle Fish Stew (lobster broth, clams, mussels, shrimp, squid and fresh fish of the day with bacon, diced tomato, crisp fried potatoes and rouille), comes in at a cool $14.
Check out the some of the delicious ways restaurants across the country are diving into Americans’ appetite for bowls.
• CBD Provisions in Dallas offers a Carolina Rice & Grain Bowl ($12; pictured right) that includes green garlic pecan pesto and house-made ricotta. “After spending some time in California, I was struck by some of the bright, fresh and healthy pairings there, especially at places like Sqirl. We added a Texas spin on this with a poached farm egg, savory house-made pesto on mixed grains and pickled vegetables for some bite. It’s hearty while not feeling heavy, which we think is just right for brunch,” says chef Richard Blankenship.
• The Hangover Breakfast ($13) is a hearty one-bowl meal that’s become a menu staple at The Bristol in Chicago. The dish features pork broth, noodles, aromatic vegetables, herbs and more. “It’s warming enough to help you survive February in Chicago,” Food & Wine declared.
• At Kachina Southwestern Grill in Denver, Cooky’s Breakfast Bowl ($12; pictured left) incorporates breakfast potatoes, eggs and cheese. The item, says executive chef Jeff Bolton, evokes the ways pioneers served their food. “Everyone in a traveling group had their own dish/bowl that they always ate every meal out of. The ingredients themselves are reflective of Southwestern cuisine, with the New Mexican green pork chile, pico de gallo, and housemade tortilla.”
• Seoul Taco Korean-Mexican restaurants in St. Louis, Columbia, MO, and Champaign, IL, offer meals such as the Gogi Bowl with Kimchi Slaw. It’s a mix of rice, fresh vegetables, fried egg, carrots, green onions, sesame oil and spicy gochujang pepper sauce.
• G&G Noodle Bar in Pittsburgh offers Dandan ($13; pictured) with spicy ground pork, sprouts, garlic, pickled Chinese cabbage, chili and soft egg. A classic Sichuan dish, dandan noodles are typically very sticky, says chef/proprietor Brian Pekarcik. “When we expanded the noodle selections at G&G, it was the first dish I knew I wanted to put on the menu. The spice is toned down by the one-hour egg, which adds a great creaminess overall.”
• ROKU in West Hollywood, CA, features an elevated Japanese teppanyaki concept, with items such as the Poke Bowl ($18). The dish features high-grade tuna from Spain, flavored with soy and chili oil, served over short-grained bamboo rice that has been treated with the juice and chlorophyll of young bamboo plants and has an aroma of jasmine green tea.
• At Houston’s Ginger & Fork, culinary director Mary Li is introducing many hard-to-source Chinese ingredients in exotic Cantonese-style dishes. One of the most popular is the Steamed Seabass in Soybean Sauce ($29). “I serve it in a bowl so one can ladle the rich broth over jasmine rice, to enjoy the true taste of Hong Kong,” Li says.
• Chef Tin Vuong of Blackhouse Hospitality Group’s Little Sister in Los Angeles designed a menu of Hong Kong-style café cuisine, Chinese charcuterie and fermented flavors. One of his most intriguing creations is a Lemongrass Lamb Saté along with Saigon Lemongrass Beef and Duck Saté, all served in bowls.
• At Travelle Kitchen + Bar in Chicago, chef Ricardo Jarquin’s Parsley and Lemon Risotto is served with grilled head-on prawns and fennel fronds.
• The menu at Shouk in Washington, D.C., offers a plant-based take on the one-bowl meal with an Israeli influence. The Ratatoille Bowl (pictured left) includes tomato burst, radish, chickpeas and tahini.
• Ozu East Kitchen in Atwater Village, CA, offers Korean-inspired dishes such as Ozu Pork Ramen, Chicken Ramen (pictured right) and Miso Ramen, all $10-$13.
• Chef Jaime Pesaque of the four-unit SuViche Peruvian-Japanese concept in South Florida presents the SuViche Ceviche Bowl ($11.95; pictured left). A twist on Peruvian acevichada, it’s flavored with Japanese spices.
• At Tanta, a Peruvian eatery in Chicago, chef Jesus Delgado serves Chaufa Aeropuerto ($24; pictured right) in a hot stone bowl that continues to cook tableside. The meal includes pork fried rice, shrimp tortilla and spicy garlic.
• Chef John Manion at La Sirena Clandestina in Chicago offers a one-bowl Moqueca ($30). The Brazilian seafood soup from the Bahia region was inspired by Manion’s travels throughout South America. The moqueca ingredients vary seasonally, ranging from clams and mussels to mahi-mahi and head-on prawns. The grand soup is served over coconut cilantro risotto, topped with crushed cashews, cilantro and scallions.
• Il Fornaio locations recently began featuring guilt-free primi pasta portions, all weighing in at under 500 calories. Selections including Conchiglie al Pollo Primi (shell pasta, chicken breast, broccoli, sundried tomatoes, pecorino and garlic; pictured right), 460 calories, and Pennoni alla Vodka Primi (tube pasta, bacon, vodka, cream tomato sauce and Grana Padano), 350 calories. “Our mission is to provide our guests with the most authentic Italian experience outside of Italy,” says Maurizio Mazzon, senior v.p. at Il Fornaio. “Guests are more health-conscious than ever, and we use the freshest ingredients and traditional cooking techniques to feature dishes that are flavorful and healthy. Our guests love the primi pasta size—they can indulge in these delicious and satisfying dishes while remaining conscious of portion size.”
• At Mill Valley Kitchen in Minneapolis, the cuisine is inspired by Northern California. On the lunch menu, chef Mike Rakun’s Grain Bowl ($14) features yellow curry and roasted seasonal vegetables and weighs in at 340 calories.
• Freebirds World Burrito, a regional fast-casual restaurant based in Austin, launched its new menu of Six Under 600 Calories. Choices include the 575 Steak Bowl (575 calories, blending cilantro lime rice, black beans, steak, sautéed vegetables, lime juice, roasted garlic and corn salsa), and the 435 Vegan Bowl (pictured left) with Freebirds’ calabacitas, tempeh, cilantro lime rice, black beans, sautéed vegetables, fresh salsa, cilantro and corn salsa.
• Skeeter’s Mesquite Grill, a Texas bistro with three locations in the Houston area, recently added two grain bowls ($8.95) to its menu—the signature Skeeter Bowl (pictured) and The Southwest. Founder/owner Gary Adair says the bowls were a response to customer requests for a hearty, healthy alternative to burgers, Tex-Mex entrees and salads. They were originally offered on a bed of Mexican rice. Customers quickly embraced the bowls and requested brown rice as well as proteins. “Now we offer a choice of Mexican rice or brown rice, and the option of topping the bowl with mesquite-grilled turkey, buffalo, beef, chicken or salmon.” Despite its higher cost, salmon ($4) outsells the other proteins ($2 each) three to one.
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