465133 Fri Nov 30 10:23:10 -0800 2007 5 14 Washington DC & Baltimore Area 0 3168218 The National Restaurant Association's top-ten food trends for 2007,drawn from a broad national chef survey, is as follows [courtesy of New York magazine]: 1. Bite-size desserts 2. Locally grown produce 3. Organic produce 4. Small plates/tapas/mezze 5. Specialty sandwiches 6. Craft/artisan/microbrew beer 7. Sustainable seafood 8. Grass-fed items 9. Energy drink cocktails 10. Salts (e.g. sea, smoked, colored, kosher) Any of these sound familar? This must be THE checklist of every new restaurant in the DC area except #1. In fact, there are several fun resturants in New York that specialize in desserts. I think this is an opportunity for a trend setting DC pastry chef -- a sort of small plates dessert place. I would love it. Of course the desserts will be grass fed, locally grown, organic and accompanied by a microbrew Redbull cocktail ! Pass the sea salt please ! Fri Nov 30 10:23:10 -0800 2007 12690 Dakota Guy 1 3168355 There is a dessert place you can subscribe too in this area which will ship you small specialty desserts monthly. I was very interested in subscribing to it, but didn't since the holidays will bring plenty of baked goods. Let me see if I can find the site. Might be a cool thing to do for someone that is into small portioned/high end desserts although it looks like it has gone up in price since earlier this fall. http://www.aspoonfulofsin.com/ I bake most of my own, so it doesn't bother me too much, but I am always disappointed with some of the selection in DC, especially considering the number of new American and Southern places to which we have some fantastic desserts in those styles to choose from (not that cuisines don't as well). Fri Nov 30 10:55:29 -0800 2007 3168218 92426 ktmoomau 1 3168378 When Anthony Bourdain spoke in DC a few weeks ago he was asked which food trend at the moment drives him nuts. I thought he would say bite-sized versions of usually large foods. His answer was actually truffle oil--anything involving truffle oil. lol I personally can't agree with him on this one. I feel the truffle oil has added wonders to the fries at Poste and other dishes. But I can see how it's become over used especially if it doesn't go well with what its being put in or just used for pretension's sake. I almost wish there were more places doing the specialty sandwich thing around here. That would be fun. Fri Nov 30 11:00:43 -0800 2007 3168218 76776 Elyssa 2 3168541 I'm curious - what exactly qualifies as a specialty sandwich? Anything other than ABP, Potbelly, Quizno's, Cosi, Corner Bakery and the like? On second thought, I guess that probably doesn't leave a lot! Fri Nov 30 11:44:21 -0800 2007 3168378 66218 cookiegirl 3 3168635 Also, does "specialty sandwich" include stuffing anything (tuna, chicken, live-and-squirming octopus tentacles) between buns and calling it a "burger?" Fri Nov 30 12:08:08 -0800 2007 3168541 12359 monkeyrotica 4 3168725 Or, shoving it in a small bun and calling it a "slider." Sorry, but a person raised on White Castles bristles at a tuna thingie being called a slider. Fri Nov 30 12:37:15 -0800 2007 3168635 78030 dcandohio