As is the tradition at Eater, our closeout of the year is a survey of friends, industry types, and bloggers. We've already covered Best Standbys, Top Newcomers, 2012 in One Word, Best Restohoods, Biggest Surprises, Best Meals, and Restaurant Breakups. Now, finally, Headline Predictions for 2013. Readers, please add your thoughts to the comments.
[Photo: Piccolo website]
Q: Headline Predictions for 2013.
Emily Weiss, writer, City Pages: Worldwide bacon shortage prompts search for new trendy protein. (Spoiler: It's goat.)
Joy Summers, food editor, Lavender Magazine; columnist, City Pages: I love covering the food trucks and I think it's a safe prediction to say there will be more opening brick and mortar restaurants. I hope to see more new trucks, too. It's a fun and spontaneous way to eat—a little adventure.
Stephanie Meyer, columnist, Minnesota Monthly TC Taste; blogger, Fresh Tart: I'm predicting—because I'm hoping for—ever more seasonal cooking of locally-sourced ingredients, bold flavors, a focus on quality-over-quantity, carefully crafted food/beverage pairings, the refining of fast-casual, crispy chicken skin, and a sense of humor. Dining out is ultimately supposed to be fun!
Stephanie March, food editor/writer, Mpls.St.Paul Magazine: Chicken Skin is IN! The crispy little fried snack is all I can think about. ? Bread is the New Black: bread baskets make a comeback.
Andrew Zimmern, columnist Mpls.St.Paul Magazine; host, Bizarre Foods; owner, AZ Canteen: 1) Filipino food will be next big Asian food thing to explode across American landscape, so much excellence and opportunity there. 2) EMP/Nomad team of Humm and Guidara will open a casual sandwich shop to rave reviews. 3) Michael White will create a fast casual pasta concept that is so awesome that within a few months it will be bought by YUM Foods for 250million dollars. Finally octopus fusilli with bone marrow will come to the hinterlands. 4) Jaimie Oliver will open string of healthy choice restaurants in USA, donating all money to wellness research and local food shelves and will become TIME Man of the Year. 5) Shake Shack will open 450 restaurants in Asia, 250 in China alone. Obama will name Danny Meyer Ambassador to Singapore.
Claire Stanford, editor, Eater MPLS: Taprooms Overrun City of Minneapolis. Food Trucks Brawl Over Prime Street Space. Lutefisk Goes Mainstream. Happy Hour Outlawed in Twin Cities; All Residents 21+ Flee.
