By Flavor & The Menu
July 11, 2020

Offering proven flavor combinations in a bowl format gives consumers a fresh spin on a familiar dish. Of course, with portability now a key factor in menu development, bowls serve up a win there, too, providing a platform for strategically layered components that travel well. Looking to trending profiles or American classics, like Korean fried chicken or shrimp and grits, can provide opportunity for built-in crave factor and signature differentiation. The translation to a bowl build requires the modern touches that the category is known for—flavor detail, textural play and originality.

“Retooling an old-school prep into a bowl format is a fun and creative way to get even more buy-in with the bowl concept,” says John Franke, president at Franke Culinary Consulting, a Dallas-based consultancy focusing on brand development and innovation. He points to the Caesar salad as example, suggesting a clever transition to a bowl through a build of cauliflower “rice,” Brussels sprouts leaves, crispy chickpeas as the “croutons,” Parmesan crisps and a Caesar vinaigrette. “Or take something like steak Oscar and change it up with ancient grains, grilled asparagus, pickled onions, marinated crab, wood-grilled filet, kale, grated egg yolk and a tarragon vinaigrette to finish. This gives a modern approach to something super old-school,” says Franke.

Here are five bowl builds inspired by dishes that are familiar, trend-forward, or perhaps a bit of both. Each spins the classic components of the dish into a modern bowl build with creative flavor play.

1. Carne Asada Bowl

• Tomato rice
• Seared flank steak
• Avocado chunks
• Lime-cilantro crema
• Broken tortilla chips

2. Chilaquiles Bowl

• Fried tortilla chips braised in red tomatillo sauce
• Smoked sausage or chorizo
• Queso fresco
• Soft scrambled eggs
• Sour cream
• Pickled jalapeño rounds

3. Korean Fried Chicken Bowl

• Crispy white rice
• Korean fried chicken nuggets
• Soy-braised mushrooms
• Kimchi
• Cucumber salad
• Korean barbecue sauce
• Chile threads

4. Shrimp & Grits Bowl

• Smoked grits
• Crispy pork belly
• Sautéed Gulf shrimp
• Gouda cheese
• Pickled okra

5. Cobb Salad Bowl

• Swipe of tomato jam
• Romaine and iceberg blend
• Citrus-marinated and grilled chicken strips
• Peppered bacon
• Avocado chunks
• Pickled mustard seeds
• Blue cheese crumbles
• Apple-cider vinaigrette