Innovation is the lifeblood of restaurant operations—as continuously proven by the dozens of LTOs launching every month, if not every week. Unsurprisingly, given January’s new-year-new-you ethos, health halos come into play, but this time with a hyper-focus on protein, even in indulgent formats. Following in the footsteps of carajillos and other Latin American-inspired cocktails, maize liquor is becoming a go-to ingredient in certain beverage builds. And lastly, escargot has started popping up on more menus, a testament to the larger hi-lo trend.

Few of the countless new items flooding menus will transition to bona fide, long-term trends, but even those that don’t achieve major-league status may still represent valuable niche opportunities to perk up offerings and generate buzz. Each month we’ll serve a platter full of food and beverage ideas that foster customer connection and provide a promotional pop.

A New Twist on Escargot

The past few months have seen a number of French restaurants opening around the country, which is great news for both Francophiles and lovers of escargot, since the quintessentially French dish is tough to find on non-Gallic menus. Most snail-oriented dishes have a kind of new-age flair, dressing up the typical garlic-parsley-butter preparation with unconventional touches. At Bon Délire in San Francisco, shallot-port marmalade brings nuanced tang to the buttery dish, while Raf’s in New York City incorporates a fluffy yet unctuous mouthfeel with whipped lardo. Philadelphia’s My Loup has received rave reviews for its Escar-Roll, in which the mollusks are bathed in green-garlic sauce and rolled in brioche.

Pastry also plays a “roll” on the French-inflected menu at The Loyalist in Chicago, where the Escargot Tart is served with mushroom duxelles. Similarly, swanky all-day brunch spot Middle Child in Las Vegas douses its escargot plate in garlic butter and serves it in puff pastry. By contrast, the Escargots Bourguignonne at Salt & Flour Kitchen in Minneapolis are tossed on a bed of pasta.

What’s the outlook for the tiny mollusks? Will they overcome the ick factor that puts off snail-averse American diners? Not likely. But restaurateurs looking to give them a go might take a leaf from the Paris Club, which formerly operated in Chicago and offered escargot for $1.95 each, a small bite/small price approach that offered nervous but adventurous diners a toe in the water. The tactic worked, with the restaurant reporting about 400 orders a night.

Corn on the Cocktail

Credit: Durham Distillery featuring Conniption Gin

At Corpse Reviver, the Off the Cob features Nixta Licor de Elote for an unexpected harvest twist.

Mixologists have garnered attention of late with an unexpected combo: corn and cocktails. The Elote Old Fashioned fuses liquid versions of the Mexican street corn craze with the classic libation. Nixta Elote Liqueur and Abasolo Corn Whiskey—both Mexican imports—have emerged as preferred spirits. At Frontera Cocina in Orlando, the two are combined with orange bitters, but other bartenders swap out the whiskey for rum, tequila or mezcal.

The phenomenon is moving in tandem with the embrace of masa, a dough made of nixtamalized corn, wherein dry kernels are soaked in an alkaline (often lime) solution, boiled and then soaked again. A foundational element of Mexican cuisine, masa is having a moment as the signature ingredient of award-winning restaurants including Oro by Nixta in Minneapolis and Tuxpan Taqueria in Central Falls, R.I. In addition to its eclectic mix of savory and sweet masa-anchored dishes, Oro also serves an El Norte Old Fashioned, with roasted dandelion root, piloncillo and Norteño bitters. Last fall, Corpse Reviver in Durham, N.C., showed that masa flavors can be paired with lighter spirits, too; its seasonal Off the Cob cocktail featured Conniption Navy Strength Gin, Nixta Licor de Elote and Jeppson’s Malört.

Protein Meets Indulgence

Credit: Urban Plates | Peet’s Coffee

Protein is powering savory entrées like Urban Plates’ Grilled Grass-Fed Steak, plus sweet indulgences like Peet’s Coffee’s Protein Vanilla Latte.

January has brought another crop of protein-enhanced dishes to facilitate New Year’s dietary resolutions. This continues the very long run enjoyed by the essential macronutrient that unites calorie-phobes, carb avoiders, Ozempic users and lifestyle dieters of all stripes.

Some of these protein-centric specials follow the classic formula, with savory menu options that double down on protein while cutting back on the carbs. Case in point: Sweetgreen introduced a quartet of limited-time bowls and plates—each packing between 24 and 39 grams of protein—to accentuate its new Green Goddess Ranch dressing. Urban Plates took the protein content even higher. While the fast casual peddles a selection of low-calorie and plant-based option, its January focus (at least on social media) has been squarely on 10 high-protein meals, ranging from 41 grams (the Grilled Chicken Plate with mashed potatoes and Brussels sprouts) to 74 grams (the Three Tender Plate with broccoli and fries).

But protein has also worked its way into a less conventional category, namely coffee. Peet’s Coffee is serving up a Vanilla Protein Latte with whey powder while Scooter’s Coffee recently introduced its Protein Cold Foam, which can top any drink on the menu, bringing 13 grams of protein and a premium drink topper in one neat package.

On a related note, the Pantone Color Institute recently named Mocha Mousse its color of the year. In a statement, the institute noted that the hue “nurtures us with its suggestion of chocolate and coffee, answering our desire for comfort and nourishment, especially through simple pleasures.”

This dual emphasis of comfort and nourishment can be found across F&B offerings, suggesting that even as consumers gravitate to more indulgent offerings (see: coffee for dessert), they’re still on the lookout for wholesome elements. Even if it’s a Caramelicious Latte with a protein cap.