Food Influencer Predicts New Drink Trends, Praises Tel Aviv Eatery
Israeli food influencer Liran Rozen has identified emerging culinary trends, including foamed espresso and drinks made with ube, a purple yam from the Philippines. Rozen believes ube, with its nutritional value and acquired taste, could become the next matcha and expand into desserts.
Rozen expressed disappointment with the lack of creativity on social media this year, noting a blurring line between inspiration and outright copying. She also criticized the trend of freezing fruit and adding cream to make ice cream, calling it a wasteful practice solely for views, though she admitted to sometimes discarding food herself as part of her work.
On a more positive note, Rozen highlighted coconut water as a justified trend, observing its widespread availability in New York's beverage menus. She also shared her first-time experience tasting durian in Thailand, describing the exotic fruit, often rumored to smell unpleasant, as surprisingly sweet, delicate, and aromatic with a texture akin to banana and avocado.
Rozen lauded "Brasserie 18" in Tel Aviv as her favorite restaurant of the year, praising its Parisian design, delicious food, and atmosphere, calling it a "gem" despite its high price point, asserting that the value justifies the cost.
Looking ahead, Rozen wishes for more traditional, soulful home-style food to be available at street food stalls, contrasting it with the current offerings. She also hopes for a calmer planning environment in Israel's culinary scene and lower prices for dining out. Rozen also called on restaurateurs and chefs to embrace social media and influencers, urging them to move beyond the "stone age."
