Linnea Covington - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers

3 min

Pandan is having a moment on menus across the country

🌿 Pandan, a Southeast Asian herb described as having vanilla and coconut flavors, is gaining popularity in American cuisine. Thoa Nguyen of Banh & Butter Bakery in Aurora, Colorado, uses it in desserts and drinks. Sweet Piglet Bakery & Cafe in Randolph, Massachusetts, offers pandan cupcakes, while chef Carlo Lamagna serves Basque-style pandan cheesecake at Magna Kusina in Portland, Oregon, and Magna Kainan in Denver. Wanderlust Creamery in Los Angeles created pandan tres leches ice cream. Pandan is sold fresh for under $1 per kilogram, dried leaves for $3 to $4.50 per kilo, and pandan powder between $7 and $13. Upscale pandan offerings include Matcha Pandan Mille Crêpes cake for $100 and Pandan Pistachio Royale for $84.50 at Lady Wong Patisserie in New York City. Drinks featuring pandan, such as pandan lattes and pandan-flavored cocktails, are also on menus, as seen at Hood Famous Bakeshop in Seattle and the Welton Room’s Monkey Bar in Denver.

3 min

Big Apple Bodega serves chopped cheese and sobriety in Denver

🍽 Brian Murphy opened Big Apple Bodega in Denver, offering zero-proof drinks and chopped cheese sandwiches. Celebrating 13 years of sobriety, Murphy's choice not to serve alcohol aligns with his personal journey. The restaurant charges $6 for beer and about $8 for a mocktail. Big Apple Bodega began as a food truck four years ago and transitioned to a brick-and-mortar establishment on May 30 last year. Menu items include The Sinatra for $10, and the eatery also offers a brunch menu on weekends with items like $6 breakfast sandwiches and $12 breakfast burritos.

3 min

Tapping Into Irish-Chinese Food at New York City’s Pecking House

🍜 At Pecking House, Manhattan, Chef Eric Huang offers the Irish-Chinese Spice Bag, made with fries, chicken nuggets, onions, peppers, and a peppercorn spice blend for $14. The combo gained popularity on TikTok and is considered for permanent addition to the menu. Pecking House, opened in Brooklyn in September 2022 and a Manhattan location in 2024, serves a southern fried chicken and Chinese takeout fusion. The restaurant also offers fried chicken with various sauces starting from $9, vegetarian options, and globally influenced sandwiches at $14 each.

3 min

Ramen restaurants expand to smaller communities

🍜 Ramen shops in the U.S. have seen a rise in popularity, with a current market value over $1 billion annually per IBISWorld. Kyuramen, which started in Queens, N.Y., in 2019, now boasts 40 locations. Rakkan Ramen, originating in Tokyo in 2011, has expanded to over a dozen U.S. locations. In casinos, ramen is increasingly common, such as at Monarch Casino's Twenty-Four 7 in Black Hawk, Colo., which added the dish in 2022, offering three varieties: tonkotsu, shoyu, and miso. Chef Alexander Lopez notes ramen's comforting appeal and the role of social media in its popularity.

3 min

Phillip Frankland Lee and Neen Williams expand Not a Damn Chance Burger

🍔 Not a Damn Chance Burger (NADC), co-founded by professional skateboarder Williams and chef/restaurateur Frankland Lee in 2022, offers a menu with a $16 wagyu beef burger, $5 fries, and $8 "beast mode" fries. The chain aims for consistent quality across its seven locations in Austin (4), Houston, Chicago, and Denver—the latter opened in December 2024. The Denver spot was chosen due to Williams' affinity for the area and the availability of space in Larimer Square. Their concept emphasizes speed, targeting a 20-minute dining experience. Williams and Lee met through social media and bonded over food and skateboarding, which led to their business partnership.

4 min

Why Berg Hospitality Group partnered with Carvel for its new restaurant Buttermilk Baby

🍦 In September, Berg Hospitality Group in Houston collaborated with Carvel, known for 330 ice cream parlors. Their new venture, Buttermilk Baby, is a casual soda shop offering fried chicken sandwiches, burgers, alcoholic milkshakes, and Carvel treats like Fudgie the Whale. Aiming for 10 locations in five years, they plan to open next in Sugarland, Texas. Owner Benjamin Berg intends to combine chef-driven food with a laid-back atmosphere, targeting both kids and adults.

4 min

What proposed wine tariffs could mean for restaurants

🍷 A potential 25% tariff on European wines could severely impact the U.S. restaurant industry, particularly independent businesses. Harry Root of Grassroots Wine noted a significant profit comes from European wines. U.S. restaurants may have to raise prices or reduce margins, as seen during the 2019 tariffs on wines with ≤14% alcohol from France, the UK, Germany, and Spain, which later expanded to include most imported wines. The tariffs, originally due to a dispute over aircraft subsidies, were suspended for five years starting March 2021. Restaurants like Le Pigeon in Portland and Celebrations in Missouri, known for their European wine pairings, could face challenges, with wine prices potentially rising from $45 to $60 per bottle. Alex Kroblin of Thirst Wine Merchants experienced decreased sales and profits due to the previous tariffs. The industry is on alert for the new administration's 2025 promise of additional import tariffs.

3 min

How The Fort restaurant in Colorado preserves its historical building

🍱 Sam Arnold built The Fort in Morrison, Colorado, in the early 1960s using traditional adobe materials, continuing a 60-year-old tradition now upheld by his daughter, Holly Arnold Kinney. The adobe façade, matching the red rocks of Colorado's Fountain Formation, offers thermal benefits and durability, requiring biannual maintenance by a specialized El Salvadorian crew. The Fort, preserving historical integrity and culinary tradition, served over 80,000 customers last year and features menu items ranging from $9 to $125.

3 min

The Bottomless Boom: Restaurants draw crowds with unlimited food and drink specials

🍴 Philly's Fringe Bar offers 2-hour bottomless Mimosas for $35, while in Denver, Señor Bear and Tamayo provide weekend bottomless brunches at $35 and $50 respectively. Washington, D.C.'s All Purpose serves them for $23. SpotOn reports over 1,200 all-you-can-eat or -drink deals added between February-August 2024. Boxwood in Beverly Hills offers a bottomless brunch at $82 for food and $110 with cocktails. Smitty's Bar in Uniontown has all-you-can-eat wings for $17.99, and Pizza Tugos in Maryland offers a $9.99 game-day deal. Red Robin introduced bottomless fries 30 years ago and now has over 30 bottomless items starting at $3.49.

1 min

What’s New In South Dakota

🌮 South Dakota's cuisine is evolving beyond American staples with restaurants like Justin Warner's Bokujo Ramen in Rapid City and Joseph Raney’s Skogen Kitchen in Custard drawing attention. Despite a population under 910,000 as per the 2022 census and challenging weather, the state's restaurant industry is growing, highlighted by four new independent eateries that demonstrate a shift in food and dining style.

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