This year, the pressure seems to be even stronger than that of the previous years to get in shape and eat healthy. So where do we turn to eat healthy, enjoy what we are eating, all the meanwhile staying trendy? MSC has noticed a few delicious (and nutritious) trends for 2014…
We’re going “back to basics” with locally grown produce and meats, non-wheat noodles and pasta, sustainable foods, and farm/estate branded items. Even chain restaurants and fast food establishments have been waving their “locally sourced” flags high, like Panera Bread, Zoës Kitchen and, of course, Chipotle.
Our favorite locally sourced place to eat is honeygrow. The food is so fresh, there is literally not a freezer in the house! Honeygrow founder, Justin Rosenberg, sources his ingredients from locally grown produce: apples from Lansdale, mushrooms from Kennett Square, custom-made egg white noodles, and even their honey options are locally sourced. The chalkboard menu behind the counter tells you the source so you never have to question where the ingredients in your stir-fry or salad come from. Honeygrow is the perfect pick for a quick lunch or easy dinner.
Vegan foods are now inspiring their own restaurants and menus for meat-eaters and vegans to enjoy. Hip City Veg is a vegan restaurant catering to carnivores and herbivores alike. This restaurant serves everything from a vegan philly “steak”, to a “groothie”. Their Rittenhouse location was such a hit that they opened another location this year in University City, and founder Nicole Marquis also just opened Charlie Was A Sinner, an all-vegan café and bar in Midtown Village.
Fermented vegetables pack probiotics which are believed to help you with everything from preventing allergies to healing various ailments and kick-start weight loss. Chefs are finding inventive ways to make veggies delicious by adding pickled and fermented menu items such as beets, green tomatoes, broccoli rabe, and more to our palates, like Zavino’s beet salad which is served with candied fennel, goat cheese, toasted pecans and a white balsamic reduction.
What better way to wash down these veggie dishes than with an adult beverage… Thanks to new state legislation, we at MSC Retail are mighty thankful and look forward to seeing wine on tap across the city. MSC Retail client Tria recently launched this trend at their newest location at 20th and Walnut Streets, with a “Tria Taproom” concept. This location not only features their ever-so-loved draft beers but also draft wine, cider, and soda with not a bottle in the building. The iPad based menu at Tria Taproom is awesome: describing the profiles of the wine and beer on tap along with an illustration of just how much remains in the keg – great for the sommelier AND the casual customer.
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Instagram @MSC_Retail to check out postings and photos of our favorite dishes, and stay tuned for my take on drinks!