I must confess that I am quickly becoming a huge fan of foodora, the on-demand food delivery service.
Since installing the app on my iPhone I have used the service a number of times. Menus are accessed easily. Pick your choices, include the tip and whether it is being delivered to the office or the house it is a very convenient transfer.
Foodora, along with top-notch chefs from across the country, have revealed their predictions for how Canadians will be eating in 2018. From Vancouver to Montreal, foodora delved deep with experts from leading restaurants to get their take on the trends Canadian foodies can anticipate next year.
“Foodora and our restaurant partners give our customers the chance to enjoy delicious food anywhere,” said David Albert, foodora Canada Managing Director. “It’s only fitting that our team of culinary experts sink their teeth into industry trends and professional experience to uncover what Canadians will be craving in the new year.”
From nostalgic favourites with unexpected twists to meatless masterpieces, the foodora team uncovered a plethora of food trends.
There is something comforting about revisiting childhood dishes that transport you to simpler times. That’s why Toronto’s Ufficio believes modern twists on classic dishes will boom in 2018. “With all trends, everything comes back,” says Chef Ivana Raca, Chopped Canada champion. “That’s why we reinvented a classic dish and brought it back with foodora.”
Le Bird Bar
In Montreal, Le Bird Bar’s (www.lebirdbar.com) Kimberly Lallouz predicts big things for prolonging the flavours of everyone’s favorite season – summer! ‘We’re bringing summer back with caliente fried chicken and we think other restaurants will be inspired by warmer months too,” says Chef Lallouz. “Incorporating a little latin twist during the cold winter months keeps foodies warm and taste buds satisfied!”
The foodora Exclusive dish is Nacho Business 3 piece. That is three pieces of nacho-crusted chicken with smoky chipotle and house ranch sauces, corn bread with honey butter, and homemade pickles.
Now I have been meaning to experience Le Bird Bar for some time. Located at 1800 Notre Dame Ouest in trendy Griffintown, this is a new style fried chicken restaurant that pairs its made-to-order fried chicken with champagne and uses local and organic ingredients whenever possible.
Open six days a week, with brunch on both Saturday and Sunday, the menu is diverse and has an eco-philosophy with its wink to conscious cooking; the fried foods are freshly prepared and boast 40 to 60 percent less grease absorption.
Le Bird Bar joined foodora a few months ago. You must check the foodora site first to see which days you can order from Le Bird Bar. At the moment they do not provide the service Thursday through Sunday. “We are really happy with the arrangement,” Lallouz told me. “Customers are so pleased to have this opportunity to get our chicken and other favorites right to their door. At the moment it is the only type of delivery service we provide and the system works very well. Foodora was so reputable, it was an easy choice to go with them.”
I made my order for lunch. Le Bird Bar opens at 11 am weekdays (except Mondays) and delivery took less than hour. Keep in mind that depending onwhere you are putting your order in, it might not be in the foodora delivery territory. I opted for the Get in Ma Belly meal – three juicy pieces of chicken with two sauces (I chose ranch and honey Dijon). My colleagues in the office shared in this experience. One wanted a side order of French Fries, which they described as superb. Another opted for sweet potato fries. We also shared a few Jalapeňo cornbread and honey butter rolls. Everything arrived in perfect temperature.
Lallouz is thrilled to note that since opening in November 2016, Le Bird Bar has attracted a loyal following of regulars while new customers discover the place every day. She also operates Miss Prêt à Manger and Monsieur Restaurant + Bar on Bleury and the restaurant at the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal
Now I cannot wait to go to Le Bird Bar in person and sample many of their other choices, from oysters to mushrooms.
2018: The Year of Fake Meat
According to foodora, 2018 will be the year of fake meat with veganism reigning supreme. According to Chef Louis Bouchard Trudeau from Quebec City’s Le Pied Bleu and Le Renard et la Chouette, “Veganism and vegetarianism will hold their own with everything from seafood charcuterie to stews – it’s the year of plant-based alternatives!” His foodora exclusive dish: Faux Beef Bourguignon – house seitan, smoked tofu, carrots, celery, mushrooms, onions, red wine sauce with spices .
Dedicated to bringing food lovers around the world their favorite meals from curated local restaurants, foodora has grown to more than 9,000 partner restaurants in more than 65 cities across 10 countries globally since its inception. The service is active in Austria, Germany, Finland, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway and Sweden in Europe, as well as Australia. It belongs to Delivery Hero, a worldwide leader of the food delivery industry.
Through the foodora website or via the new iOS and Android apps, customers can enter their area and view a curated list of restaurants serving their neighbourhood. Once they have found their meal of choice, they can place an order in the comfort of their home or office, paying online through foodora’s secure platform. The order is then carefully prepared by the restaurant, picked up by the foodora rider and delivered straight to their doorstep in around 30 minutes. You can also pick your order up from your favourite restaurant on your way with our pick-up feature, the choice is yours!
For more information visit foodora.ca
By Mike Cohen
Pictures by Alison Slattery photography