Taste Tracker: Cava, Roti, Logan’s, Sweetgreen, Taco Bell, Bojangles, Luckin Coffee, Tropical Smoothie, Shake Shack and 7 Brew headline restaurant menu trends and news.
The demand for protein seems never-ending, and shrimp is joining chicken and beef this summer to meet the demand with something a little different. The popular seafood is having a moment on menus, trending in bowls, salads, and more. But operators are still innovating with chicken, expanding into different flavor profiles and formats. In other news, Dubai chocolate is back, orange is the new black, and there’s plenty to sip this season.
Shrimp with a Mediterranean accent is now available at Cava in a coastal-inspired rice and spinach bowl. It stars Roasted Garlic Shrimp, marinated in fresh herbs and spices and paired with red pepper hummus, fire-roasted corn, tomato, onion and Persian cucumbers. The Shrimp + Red Pepper Hummus Bowl is served with yogurt dill dressing; price is about $17.
A Citrus Grilled Shrimp menu featuring four items launched at Roti Modern Mediterranean Monday. On offer are a Citrus Grilled Shrimp Bowl where the shrimp are served over saffron rice with roasted zucchini, yellow squash, red bell peppers, cucumbers, sumac tomatoes, and feta, then finished with creamy garlic sauce and citrus herb vinaigrette. There’s also a Citrus Grilled Shimp Salad over spring greens, Citrus Grilled Shrimp Wrap in warm laffa bread, and Citrus Grilled Shrimp Pita; the roasted and fresh vegetables recur in all the items. New beverages debuted to complement the shrimp menu, including Strawberry Hibiscus Tea, Mango Lime Tea, Classic Lemonade, and Black Tea.
Shrimp is one of the stops on Logan’s Roadhouse “Great American Road Trip” menu, which draws from America’s regional food classics. From New Orleans comes NOLA BBQ Shrimp, blackened and grilled shrimp with barbecue butter and crispy fried onions served over cheesy rice. Other proteins on the route include Cedar Planked Chicken with Alabama White Sauce, Carolina Gold Fried Ribs, Texas Ribeye, and a BBQ Platter with pulled pork, chicken tenders, and grilled sausage.
Fajita-style chicken is the focus in Taco Bell’s latest renditions of Street Chalupas and Nacho Fries, rolling out Thursday for a limited time. Chicken Fajita Nacho Fries layer slow-roasted chicken, peppers and onions on the Mexican-seasoned fries, all topped with creamy jalapeño sauce, sour cream, nacho cheese sauce, and a blend of cheeses. Fajita Street Chalupas feature seasoned peppers and onions in cheesy chalupa shells topped with marinated steak or chicken along with the creamy jalapeño sauce and an onion-cilantro blend. Both dishes reimagine fajitas in a portable format.
Also leaning into portability is Tropical Smoothie Café with its new Hawaiian Island Flat, an item that can double as a light meal or a snack. The LTO is composed of grilled chicken, sweet-and-savory Hawaiian barbecue sauce, a three-cheese blend of cheddar, mozzarella, and queso blanco, and crispy fried onions on a warm, toasted flatbread.
Sweetgreen is celebrating summer produce with its newest bowls featuring tomatoes, basil, and other seasonal ingredients. Tomato Panzanella is a toss of fresh tomatoes, basil, chopped romaine, arugula, avocado, cucumbers, pickled onions, garlic breadcrumbs, feta, and tomato vinaigrette. The Picnic Bowl combines chopped romaine, quinoa, blackened chicken, a summer vegetable medley, crispy onions, corn salsa, and charred jalapeño ranch, while the Summer Market Bowl is made with baby spinach, warm wild rice, roasted chicken, pickled onions, a summer vegetable medley, maple toasted sunflower seeds, feta, and pesto vinaigrette.
Breakfast is the news at Bojangles with the return of its Breakfast Bo-Rito. The item starts with a flour tortilla that’s filled with country-style sausage, eggs, Bo-Rounds hash brown potatoes, Monterey Jack cheese, and sausage gravy, then served with hot sauce. For spicier palates, there’s the Fuego Breakfast Bo-Rito with the addition of ghost pepper sauce and a red-colored, chipotle-flavored tortilla in place of the flour tortilla.
Cold drinks from 7 Brew are ready to beat the heat. The Trickshot 7 Fizz Soda is a mix of sparkling water with kiwi, blue raspberry, and white chocolate syrups, while the Trickshot Lemonade has a base of lemonade with the same mix-ins. Also on the beverage drive-in’s menu is Panda Cold Brew, a blend of cold brew coffee with coconut and white chocolate syrups, and the Panda Frozen Mocha Chiller, a blended frozen drink with mocha, white chocolate, and coconut syrup topped with whipped cream and a dark chocolate drizzle.
Four citrus-forward coolers are on hand at Luckin Coffee. The Orange Americano combines hot or iced espresso with orange juice, while the Orange Velvet Latte tops the brand’s signature orange coffee latte with orange-infused foam. On the tea side, there’s an Orange Grapefruit Frappe that blends jasmine tea with orange juice and grapefruit pulp, topped with whipped cream, and Orange Iced Tea, a simple mix of jasmine tea and orange juice.
Strawberry cold foam, not orange, is the crowning touch at Tim Hortons; customers can order it for 70 cents extra with any iced drink. Also available are a Blackberry Citrus Refresher, a mix of blackberry and orange juice with freeze-dried blackberries and a choice of water, lemonade or coconut milk as a base. For guests with a sweet tooth, there’s the Strawberries and Cream Iced Capp with Oreos, and the S’mores Iced Capp with toasted marshmallow flavor, mini chocolate chips and graham cracker pieces.
Coconut Cold Foam has arrived at Piada Italian Street Food as an add-on for any fountain beverage for 75 cents. Curated cold drinks include Summer Fresca, a blend of water and simple syrup with watermelon, cantaloupe, and strawberries, and the Dirty Summer Fresca, a water, watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberry, and lemon blend topped with the coconut cold foam.
The Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Shake is back at Shake Shack after a successful run last year — the chain’s most-requested returning item on social media. Inspired by the viral Dubai chocolate bar, the shake is made with pistachio frozen custard blended with toasted kataifi shredded phyllo, coated in a crackable dark chocolate shell, and topped with chopped pistachios and crunchy kataifi.
Cinnaholic is offering a trio of summer treats. To sip, there’s Lemonade in a bright citrusy flavor that can be ordered sparkling or still. Brookie Coffee is a dessert-inspired iced or hot coffee made with chocolate sauce infused with a cookie-brownie flavor. And to nibble, the Brookie Roll made its debut, featuring brownie batter baked into a plant-based cinnamon roll, iced with cream cheese frosting, and topped with cookie dough.
