Hard Rock Cafe Cauliflower Burger
Hard Rock Cafe offers a cauliflower burger.
 

Plants on plates

A rise in so-called “reducetarians” and flexitarians has inspired chefs to experiment with plant-forward dishes, Ms. Kruse said, citing as examples a cauliflower burger at Hard Rock Cafe, spicy buffalo cauliflower at California Pizza Kitchen and a broccoli sandwich at No. 7 Subs. At Orchard Grocer, a vegan deli in New York, spice-rubbed, cold-smoked carrots serve as a stand-in for salmon on a bagel with “lox.”

The percentage of vegans and vegetarians remain but a small fraction of the American population, so such vegetable-centric meals should appeal to carnivores, too, Ms. Kruse said.

California Pizza Kitchen cauliflower
California Pizza Kitchen serves spicy buffalo cauliflower.
 

“Here’s the key if you want to sell a vegetable-forward dish,” Ms. Kruse said. “Treat it with the same innovation, creativity, flavor enhancements and culinary hooks that you would lavish upon an animal protein item.”

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Indian cuisine
Among the latest global flavors gaining favor in U.S. restaurants is Indian fare.
 

Going global

Restaurant operators are reaping the rewards of globalization, Ms. Kruse said. Three in five consumers take pride in having tried many different cuisines, and two-thirds of consumers eat a broader variety of ethnic cuisines than they did five years ago, according to data from the National Restaurant Association.

Among the latest global flavors gaining favor in U.S. restaurants is Indian fare, Ms. Kruse said.

Ramen
Ramen is "the noodle of the year," Ms. Kruse said.
 

“Indian cuisines never have gotten enough play on American menus until now,” Ms. Kruse said. “And they do it all; they’re versatile, they’re accessible, they can be healthful, they can be indulgent, they can be spicy, they can be not spicy.”

Asian noodle dishes, from Vietnamese pho to Japanese udon, also are full steam ahead, she said.

“Specifically ramen,” she said. “Ramen, hands down, I’m naming it the noodle of the year. We’ve gone way beyond the noodle in a cup phenomenon to beautifully, ethnically enhanced treatments.”

Japanese Katsu
Katsu, Japanese breaded and fried meats, are gaining popularity on menus.
 

What’s next? Keep an eye on katsu, Ms. Kruse said.

“Katsu is Japanese schnitzel,” she said. “In other words, it’s breaded and fried meats, and I’m seeing it appearing on mass market menus.”