By Katie Belflower
RestoBiz and Technomic’s first 2022 edition of Concept Watch highlights three restaurant concepts on show in Canadian foodservice and what makes them stand out from the crowd.
This month, the focus is on Dinesty Dumpling House in B.C., Toronto’s Buono, and Quebec QSR Dic Ann’s.
Dinesty Dumpling House
Facebook: 855 likes | Instagram: 1,686 followers
Locations: 4 (British Columbia)
Concept characteristics:
- Full-service restaurants dishing up authentic Chinese foods with a focus on dumplings
- Committed to flavour, innovation, elegance, value, and transparency
- Offers a VIP Card that gives discounts to frequent visitors
- Offers online ordering for delivery and takeout
Menu snapshot:
- Specializes in a variety of dumplings, including pan-fried beef dumplings, steamed pork soup dumplings, and steamed screw-buns with condensed milk
- Dumpling wrapper dough is hand-kneaded to ensure quality
- Focuses on natural and fresh ingredients
- Noodle dishes include Shanghai fried noodles, noodle soup with beef, and noodles with crab meat and shrimp sauce
- Classic Chinese desserts include red bean paste pancake and Malay sponge cake
Buono
Facebook: 122 likes | Instagram: 10,100+ followers
Locations: 3 (Toronto)
Concept characteristics:
- Full-service restaurant specializing in high-quality Italian food at reasonable prices
- Emphasizes simple, authentic Italian fare
- Indoor dining areas often feature unique light fixtures and greenery
- Two locations have patio seating
Menu snapshot:
- Handmade pasta choices are spaghetti, rigatoni, tagliatelle, and gnocchi
- Gluten-free pasta is available
- Sauce options for pasta include pomodoro, pesto, cacio e pepe, and carbonara, among others
- Thick-crust, Milano-style pizza comes in varieties such as margherita, prosciutto, and funghi
- Serves up several antipasti options, including Insalata Caprese, Insalata Italia, Tagliere Di Verdure, and Tagliere Di Salumi
Dic Ann’s
Facebook: 18,285 likes | Instagram: 4,443 followers| Twitter: 1,000 followers
Locations: 12 (Quebec)
Concept characteristics:
- Quick-service restaurant specializing in burgers
- Founded in 1954 by a husband-and-wife duo, whom the concept is named after
- Locations have indoor seating and online ordering is available for delivery or takeout
- Dic Ann’s food truck is available for events catering
Menu snapshot:
- Specializes in an original hamburger with a thin patty to ensure it cooks quickly
- Emphasizes the use of 100 per cent pure beef with no additives
- Burger options include classic hamburgers and cheeseburgers, as well as specialty burgers, including the Wallyburger and Hambourghini
- Side options include French fries and poutine topped with mozzarella cheese and spicy sauce
- Fries are cooked in 100 per cent peanut oil
Concept Watch is based on restaurant and menu concepts and trends noted by Technomic Inc.
Katie Belflower is Associate Editor for Technomic, a Chicago-based foodservice research and consulting firm. Technomic provides clients with the facts, insights and consulting support they need to enhance their business strategies, decisions and results. The company’s services include publications and digital products as well as proprietary studies and ongoing research on all aspects of the food industry, including menu trends.
