CSP Kitchen: Concepts to Track (July 2017)
By Aimee Harvey on Aug. 08, 2017Food hall
Two Birds
Segment: Food hall
HQ: Irvine, Calif.
Units: One
Hook: Located inside Irvine’s Trade Food Hall, Two Birds joins the flourishing fast-casual chicken trend with fresh, grilled or crispy Jidori chicken (a type of mixed-breed, domestic free-range chicken) for its Bird in the Hand sandwich, Bird in the Bush salad or Bag of Chicken with two, three or four pieces. The chicken is accented by a choice of spicy Tiger Sauce, made with a creamy Sriracha and garlic; a signature Fry Sauce of pureed tomato confit; or Creamy Herb, made with Kewpie mayonnaise and crushed dill.
Casual dining
Culinary Dropout
Segment: Casual dining
HQ: Phoenix
Units: Five
Hook: From restaurateur Sam Fox of Fox Restaurant Concepts comes Culinary Dropout, a high-energy “playground for grownups.” All units offer live music and games, such as bean-bag toss, alongside elevated pub fare and a diverse drink list. Standout entrees factor in home-style classics such as meatloaf and fried chicken, while pan-Asian global flavor influences appear on the starter and cocktail menus.
Restaurant-retail hybrid
Local Foods
Segment: Restaurant-retail hybrid
HQ: Houston
Units: Four
Hook: Local Foods merges a dine-in, fast-casual experience with a supermarket format. It offers a deli-style counter and communal seating areas, along with prepackaged prepared foods and local food products for purchase. Gourmet-inspired sandwiches, salads and an expansive range of hot and cold specialty drinks are menu hallmarks.
Fast casual
The Polenta Bar
Segment: Fast casual
HQ: Chicago
Units: One
Hook: The made-to-order phenomenon now extends to a unique platform: polenta. The Polenta Bar is a new Chicago concept featuring house-made polenta using machines imported from Italy, based on authentic recipes from an Italian-born chef. Build-your-own-polenta toppings include seasonal vegetables and sauces such as ragu, chicken and white sauce, and a signature house sauce made with mushrooms.
College foodservice
Samovar
Segment: College and university
HQ: College Park, Md.
Units: One
Hook: University of Maryland Dining Services created Samovar, a build-your-own ramen-noodle concept, in response to student demand for more international food options. Its menu centers on highly concentrated tea beverages and affordably priced ramen-noodle bowls made with a choice of proteins such as beef brisket, tofu, sliced teriyaki chicken and Greek gyro meat. They are topped with jalapenos, shredded carrots, chopped cilantro, lemon slices and shiitake mushrooms.
Fast casual
Hai Street Kitchen & Co.
Segment: Fast casual
HQ: Philadelphia
Units: Six
Hook: Hai Street Kitchen & Co. offers a colorful take on Japanese-inspired nori rolls, salads and rice bowls. Guests can customize chicken katsu, spicy tuna tartare and tataki salmon with flavor-forward homemade sauces, including black-pepper teriyaki, gochujang, jalapeno aioli and ginger miso dressing.