According to the National Restaurant Association survey of chefs, the following are "hot" for 2008:
1. Bite-size desserts
2. Locally grown produce
3. Organic produce
4. Small plates/tapas/mezze
5. Specialty sandwiches
6. Craft/artisan/microbrew beer
7. Sustainable seafood
8. Grass-fed items
9. Energy drink cocktails
10. Salts (e.g. sea, smoked, colored, kosher)
Bite-sized desserts. Yay! Big portions force diners to share. Who wants to share dessert? I mean, who WANTS to as opposed to who feels FORCED into it by huge portions. My favorite? Sampler plates with lots of bite-sized desserts.
Locally grown produce. Nice. Funny to think of this as a trend rather than a way of life, but whatever.