Ikea Philippines introduces new menu items

IKEA Philippines recently introduced new menu items at its bistro and cafe at the Mall of Asia complex in Pasay City.

IKEA introduced plant-based meatballs with a sweet chili sauce, a meatless cutlet with Japanese curry sauce, salted egg chicken wings and a sausage croissant.

Chocolate eclairs, egg tarts, and turon (local banana fritters) were also added to the dessert menu.

Millnaire Ylagan, kitchen production manager for IKEA Philippines, said the meatless cutlets are made of apples and pea protein to mimic the taste of meat. The plant-based options are also in line with Ikea’s sustainability goals.

“We have this goal set by global (headquarters). As IKEA, one of our core values is caring for people and planet. We have a goal that by 2030, all our menus should be 50% plant-based,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

The cutlets and the turon are Mr. Ylagan’s recipes but had to be approved by the IKEA headquarters before its rollout.

Some of the dishes, such as the sweet chili sauce and the salted egg wings are regional delights that are being introduced to the local market. “If it performs well, we carry it,” said Mr. Ylagan.

Alexander Busa, manager for IKEA Philippines’ Swedish Food Market, Bistro, and Cafe, said local relevance is one of the priorities for the Swedish giant here in the Philippines.

Mr. Ylagan said diners can expect new dishes like pares (beef stewed in a sweet brown sauce) and lechon (roast pig) later this year. — Joseph L. Garcia