For food enthusiasts, dining out is a pleasure, but even the most dedicated gourmets appreciate convenience and affordability. Increasingly, restaurants are recognizing this by expanding into the grocery market, offering premium pantry staples to home cooks. These products, often made in smaller batches with high-quality ingredients, bridge the gap between restaurant experiences and everyday meals. Here are three standouts that deliver professional-level flavor to your kitchen.
Bessou Furikake: The Umami Boost
Bessou, a popular Japanese restaurant in New York City, is celebrated for its perfectly crisp chicken karaage. But the real secret weapon is their furikake —a Japanese seasoning blend of seaweed, sesame seeds, and tempura bits. This isn’t just another seasoning; it’s a concentrated burst of umami.
The texture is as important as the flavor; the furikake provides a satisfying crunch alongside the briny, nutty notes. Its versatility is unmatched, elevating everything from rice and eggs to salads, sandwiches, and even popcorn.
Price: $18 for 8 ounces at Bessou
SingleThread Sweet Shellfish Dashi: Instant Gourmet Stock
SingleThread, a three-Michelin-starred restaurant in California, offers a taste of its culinary excellence through a collaboration with Dashi Okume. The result is a line of instant dashi packs, bringing restaurant-quality stock to home kitchens.
SingleThread Sweet Shellfish Dashi combines sweet kelp, black throat sea perch, scallops, cabbage, and onion into a subtly sweet, light-yet-flavorful blend. This convenience is ideal for those who don’t have the time or ingredients for traditional dashi preparation. It’s perfect for miso soup or any stock-based dish.
Price: $38 for 15 packs at Dashi Okume
BCD Tofu House Soon Tofu Soup Kits: Lazy Dinner Perfection
BCD Tofu House, famous for its authentic soondubu (soft tofu stew), now offers convenient soup kits. This is a game-changer for quick, satisfying meals, outperforming even instant ramen in flavor and simplicity.
The kits come in varying spice levels, allowing you to customize the heat to your preference. The Medium Hot option strikes a perfect balance, delivering a flavorful kick without being overwhelming.
Price: $3.49 for 13 ounces at Weee!
These restaurant-backed pantry staples prove that premium quality and convenience don’t have to be mutually exclusive. By bringing professional flavors into home kitchens, these brands are reshaping how we approach everyday cooking.
