Asian

Khla cocktail bar mixes Asian flavors, Thai snacks in downtown Phoenix

By Elizabeth W. Jernigan 4 months ago

From the soft sweetness of pandan to the earthy pungence of turmeric, Southeast Asian flavors shine at Khla, a new downtown Phoenix cocktail bar in Roosevelt Row.

“Knowing myself, I’m always going to put my culture on the map whenever I have the opportunity to do so,” said Tyka Chheng, co-owner of the bar, which shares space with newly opened Thai restaurant Lom Wong.

Khla, which means tiger in Khmer, is the latest project from Chheng, Colton Brock and John Sagasta, the team behind Baby Boy, a cocktail caravan parked nearby at the Pemberton. Chheng and Brock honed their bartending

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Peranakan food: Everything to know about this Southeast Asian cuisine

By Elizabeth W. Jernigan 4 months ago

(CNN) — One of Southeast Asia’s most interesting cuisines, Peranakan food is primarily found in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Bursting with flavors and colors, it’s distinct for its mix of Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian ingredients and cooking methods.

Main dishes are usually rich in gravy, and full of herbs and spices (the Malay influence), but often use pork and fermented soy bean paste (the Chinese influence).

Food was often served at room temperature, because they ate with their hands, a Malay practice.

The roots of a culture and a menu

Peranakan culture was birthed in the 15th century when

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Behind the gate, Salt Lake Chinatown is a busy center of Utah’s Asian culture.

By Elizabeth W. Jernigan 4 months ago

(Rachel Rydalch | The Salt Lake Tribune) Chinatown Supermarket is located on State Street in South Salt Lake, Wednesday, March 2, 2022. Wednesday, March 2, 2022. The supermarket includes restaurants and shops in addition to a variety of Asian cuisines and products.

Beyond the towering blue and red gate on State Street, there is a kung fu studio, a hair salon, a home-goods store, two Taiwanese dessert chains, a Korean bakery, restaurants serving a variety of cuisines, and the largest Asian supermarket in Utah.

Even with all that happening with its 22 tenants, many Utahns may only know the shopping

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Asian Flavor Trends from the World’s Leading Expert in Eastern Food & Beverage Flavors

By Elizabeth W. Jernigan 4 months ago

It’s official – Asian food is the fastest growing cuisine in the United States.

According to a Euromonitor report​, sales of Asian QSR food grew by more than 135% over the last 25 years and the category has a CAGR of 11.8% forecasted through 2026. The rise of Asian foods is reflective of a larger overall trend toward international cuisine, spurred by increasingly adventurous tastes of younger consumers and broadening demand for exciting new food experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

While grouped together, the Asian food and beverage category represents a diversity of cuisines ranging from Chinese and Japanese

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