The Secret of the Mala Tang Boom and the Next Dish to Come

【The Secret Behind the Mala Tang Boom and the Next Dish to Watch】

The spicy and numbing "Mala Tang" is currently drawing long lines, especially among young people.

What makes it so appealing?

◆ Four Major Factors of Popularity

① Customizability that allows you to create "your own bowl" with "sold by weight + free toppings."

② The ability to adjust the "numbing spiciness" of chili peppers and Sichuan pepper to your liking, suitable for both spice lovers and beginners.

③ The image of a "guilt-free healthy hot pot" with soup containing doubanjiang and medicinal ingredients.

④ The colorful ingredients and steaming red soup are Instagram-worthy, with posts spreading among the time-efficient generation.

Additionally, in Tokyo, the pricing of 3 to 4 yen per gram is gaining attention as "great value even with inflation," and its versatility across lunch, late-night meals, and takeout is a favorable wind.

⸻

◆ The Next Big Hit: "Kanjang Saewoo"!

The soy sauce-marinated shrimp that became a huge trend in Korea is gradually making its way to Japan. The plump texture of raw shrimp marinated in garlic soy sauce and the rich miso that can be sucked with the shell are "video-worthy," leading to a surge in TikTok views. In Shin-Okubo, specialty stores are popping up one after another, and it's evolving into set meals and rice bowls, expected to spread as "ethnic food that goes well with rice" among men and women in their 20s and 30s.

⸻

◆ Summary

Mala Tang became a hit with the formula of "personal preference × numbing spiciness × visual appeal." Next, "plump and sweet-salty shrimp × rice" Kanjang Saewoo is likely to take over. Get ahead by preparing tasting reports and recipe articles now to capture search keywords!

⸻

Illustration

1. Customizing Mala Tang

Pasted Graphic 9.tiff