food
Top 4 food trends of 2015
Soft-pressed juices became a a real hit with healthy foodies for their cleansing properties. – The Malaysian Insider pic, December 8, 2015.As 2015 comes to an end, we take a look back on the year in food to trace the hottest trends that have come up.
From healthy diet fads and “atas” ice cream to new ways of enjoying coffee, here’s what we’ve been eating and drinking in 2015:
Slow-pressed juices
Slow-pressed juices were on every healthy foodie’s radar earlier this year by offering a healthier alternative to plain fresh juices.
Made by crushing then pressing fruits and vegetables, slow-pressed juices are said to be healthier as they retain more of the fruits’ nutrients.
The traditional centrifugal juicers produce too much heat with their spinning blades which “denature” the enzymes in the fruit.
La Juiceria was one of the first few juiceries to open and in the past year has expanded into 12 outlets. You can even get juices delivered to your doorstep from websites like Strip Juice and The Organic Juicery!
More than your usual cup of joe
Polecats Coffee’s idea of combining oatmeal and raisins with a latte is an interesting concoction to say the least. – The Malaysian Insider pic, December 8, 2015.In a highly competitive cafe scene, it’s no longer enough to simply serve the usual flat whites or Americanos.
Bangsar favourite, DR.Inc got the ball rolling with interesting coffee concoctions late last year by combining cola and ice cream soda with shots of espresso. Many other cafes have followed suit since and 2015 saw the start of some really creative ways to enjoy your cup of java.
For example, hidden gem Polecats Coffee in Melawati has come up with the oatmeal latte where oats and raisins are mixed together with a latte. The result is a textured coffee which we think you’ll either love or hate.
Another interesting coffee phenomenon is the nitro coffee, dispensed via a keg a-la beer. Essentially cold coffee, it looks like a glass of stout with a healthy head of foam. The taste, however, is smooth and light.
Brewmen takes it one step further by turning it into a nitro float.
Dessert storm
It was a good year for dessert lovers with a myriad of treats to tickle all your sweet tooth fancies.
The humble soft serve ice cream made a comeback in the foodie scene at Softsrve. Their presentation is especially striking with thick mist spilling out the sides of the cup, thanks to liquid nitrogen and toppings like cotton candy, honey chips, chocolate truffles and more.
Taiwanese imports Honey Creme landed in the Klang Valley just this month, offering a fun take on flavours and presentation.
More recently, Japanese-inspired P.S. Tokyo is serving up smooth and creamy matcha (green tea) and hojicha (roasted green tea) soft serves.
Soft serve’s Italian cousin, gelato, remained a crowd favourite this year with gelato specialist Cielo Dolce opening its very own dessert cafe, Every Sundae.
Even Resorts World Genting is taking a bite out of the dessert pie with its own in-house gelato brand, ITALGelato.
The Korean wave also hit our foodie shores with an ice-cold treat, the bingsu. A shaved ice dessert served with red beans, it's reminiscent of our local ice kacang, but topped with fruits or chocolate.
The number of dedicated bingsu cafes in town like Bing's, Seoul Bing, BingSu and Crazy Penguin are clear indicators of just how popular bingsu was this year!
It’s a wonder what a little bit of liquid nitrogen can do to jazz up ice cream at Softsrve. – The Malaysian Insider pic, December 8, 2015.Hunting down pop-up dining
This year saw a new trend where young entrepreneurs turned to pop-up dining in favour of physical restaurants.
Pop-ups are essentially a collaborative effort between chefs with awesome ideas, food creations and artisanal menus, and more established restaurants happy to play temporary “host”.
It’s a win-win situation for both parties, and especially for diners who get to sample the usually-exciting menus from the pop-ups.
Three young chefs behind the nomadic Pop Up Dining KL are making a name for themselves without actually running a restaurant.
Daniel Yap, Miki Lie and Amanda Huang are brimming with ideas and are constantly experimenting with varied menus.
Jaslyn Cakes, Lorem Ipsum, Bean Reserve, Barlai and Strangers at 47 are just some of the places they have served up their delicious dishes. Wondering where they'll go next and what's cooking? Just follow them on Facebook or Instagram at popupdiningkl.
The pop-up dining scene isn’t confined to only food, though. One of the pioneers of this trend is 44, a travelling bar that moves from one location to another every few months, serving up their awesome alcoholic concoctions. – December 8, 2015.
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