Part of the experience of going to a good restaurant is being presented with lots of tempting choices. When faced with page upon page of delicious and intriguing descriptions, some of us fall back on trusty favourites (my husband will order a steak nine times out of ten) while others enjoy trying new things. If you’re anything like me, however, you’ll constantly drive your dining companions crazy by freezing with indecision like a deer in the headlights.

We can all relate to craning our necks over to peek at someone else’s plate in a restaurant, or kicking ourselves when our order arrives and you realize the person next to you got what you really wanted
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“Picture yourself eating it,” which one would be tastier? my husband would urge, impatient to order his steak already. But when gripped by indecision, it’s often hard to visualize things in any meaningful way, specially in restaurants that get all fancy and creative with their dish descriptions and presentation. We can probably all relate to craning our necks over to peek at someone else’s plate as it arrives, or kicking ourselves when the food arrives and you realize the person next to you got what you had really wanted all along. Upon such experiences many evenings are ruined.

Companies like Kabaq fill a gap in this emerging market by providing true-to-life presentation and dynamic storytelling
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This is why I got quite excited when I heard about a start-up called Kabaq, which is using AR to help you make your mind up, based on what a dish actually looks like, and their 3D renditions are so realistic that you can practically smell or taste them.

The Augmented Reality retail showcasing market is expected to show a 133% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) over the next five years, reaching $24.4B, according to the IDC
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Kabaq Co-Founder Alper Guler explains that for the past two years his team has been perfecting a proprietary process for creating hyper-realistic culinary models – one of the most difficult products to capture in 3D. They optimize the content for Augmented Reality, then manage and distributes it agnostically to all AR-supported platforms for their clients, which now include Dominos, Grubhub, Subway and Dunkin. You can even preview what your wedding cake would look like at Magnolia bakery.

CEO Mike Cadoux says 2018 has been a great year for AR, with Snapchat and Facebook enabling developers like them to push content on their platforms. “Our view numbers went from 20K to 1MM in a week. Looking into 2019, with Apple and Google starting to support Web based AR experiences, I believe we will see more useful AR experiences from brands soon. Augmented Reality continues to grow along a traditional path for new technologies – from initial uses like playful entertainment, to large scale integrations into everyday businesses, specifically advertising and retail showcasing,” he adds.

You can now preview your @magnoliabakery wedding cake in AR
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The Augmented Reality retail showcasing market is expected to show a 133% Compound Annual Growth Rate  (CAGR) over the next five years, reaching $24.4B, according to the IDC.  Companies like Google, Apple, Microsoft, Snapchat and Facebook are investing billions into the technology, and companies like Kabaq fill a gap in this emerging market by providing true-to-life presentation and dynamic storytelling. They are now also looking to scale their business into other verticals like fashion, luxury and consumer packaged goods.

This article was originally published on VRScout

Kabaq Helps You Settles On A Meal With Ultra-Realistic AR Menus via @alicebonasio https://t.co/pixiigLl9E pic.twitter.com/bNKgzeM6xf

— VRScout (@VRScout) February 16, 2019

For companies looking to get into Immersive technologies our VR Consultancy service offers comprehensive support in strategic deployment of Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality

Alice Bonasio is a VR Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post Can You See Yourself Eating It? appeared first on Tech Trends.

I’m both a technophile and a foodie, yet I’m not of those annoying people that constantly posts their food pictures on Facebook.

Recently, however, I became a bit of a convert to their check-in feature, which helps me to keep track of my favourite bars, restaurants and takeaways. Google maps is also really handy; when I couldn’t remember the name of this great little dive bar I visited the year before, I only had to do a few minutes of clicking around before – lo and behold – Google informs me that I had visited The Salon 12 months previously – Bingo! So when it came to the nearly impossible task of shortlisting the best places to eat in New York, I did some techno-digging to help jog my memory. The results, as it turns out, are worth sharing, and hopefully worthy of some likes.

You can use technology to keep track of all your favourite foodie finds in a city like New York
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The classic diner is a great place to have breakfast – or brunch – in New York, but it’s a very hit-and-miss thing. The food is not always great quality and some of the more popular places in the centre are very touristy and require a long time queuing outside for a table. Instead, head down to Old Johns Luncheonette for no-nonsense fresh food and friendly service in a quiet side street near Central Park. Most choices include a free shot of wonderfully sweet, fresh Orange Juice (honestly the best I’ve ever had) and the bacon is out of this world good. The only downside is that it’s impossible to decide whether to go for the savoury egg-based dishes or succumb to the syrup-drenched temptation of waffles, pancakes or French toast. The prices are so reasonable though, you might just decide to go for both.

Best Diner breakfast ever!

After probably eating more than is strictly good for you, why not walk it off in Central Park? You can wander around for hours and never run out of things to do. Should you start to feel peckish again there’s something to be said for grabbing a bag of candied nuts or a hot dog from one of vendors, and while I usually wouldn’t recommend the restaurants located inside the park, I’ll make an exception for The Tavern on the Green. Sure, it’s pricey, OK, it’s touristy, but hey, it’s featured in that scene in Ghostbusters where Louis runs away from the giant demon dog, and that’s enough for me. There are tables outside if you just fancy a beer and some nachos too.

The Tavern on the Green is touristy, but it's featured in the Ghostbusters scene where Louis runs away from the giant demon dog, and that’s enough for me
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Who you’re gonna call?

I have an Italian Passport and lived in Milan for a year, so trust me when I tell you that Eataly is the best Italian supermarket you’ll ever find anywhere. Sitting across the road from the iconic Flatiron building, it’s Mediterranean gastronomic Nirvana, and the perfect place to stock up for a picnic – Madison Square Park is right outside if you can’t wait to tuck into your purchases. If you’d rather eat in, head to the rooftop (it takes some finding, as the elevators are hidden away at the back and look like the entrance to a storeroom) to enjoy skyline views while ordering from the menu supplied by the deli below. Needless to say, the antipasti platters are a must-have.

Eataly is the best Italian supermarket you’ll ever find anywhere
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Great rooftop panorama and fantastic Italian produce at Eataly

For most of us, Lobster is the ultimate luxury food. And sure enough, there are plenty of swanky places in New York to enjoy them in the traditional way – as long as you’re willing to re-mortgage your house or sell your firstborn child. Nowhere, however, will you find a fresher, larger, and tastier crustacean than at the Chelsea Market Lobster Place, and although it’s not exactly a MacDonald’s, it won’t break the bank either. After you’re done staring at the mountains of freshly steamed lobsters, walk up to the counter and choose how big you want yours– I spotted one bad boy in there weighing over 7 pounds – and find a place to perch. Somehow, as you dip enormous chunks of delicious meat into melted butter, the fact that there are no seats becomes pretty irrelevant. You’re welcome.

Nowhere will you find a fresher, larger, and tastier crustacean than at the Chelsea Market Lobster Place, and although it’s not exactly a MacDonald’s, it won’t break the bank either
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Definitely would be my last meal choice…

If you’re a steak lover on a budget, you should stay well clear of Gallaghers. Because chances are that if you gaze into its wondrous meat locker (yes, they have a room with glass doors full of meat) you’ll be compelled to go in and spend an obscene amount of money. The cocktails are pretty tasty too. Just don’t look at the bill too long.

As you gaze into Gallaghers' wondrous meat locker you’ll be compelled to go in and spend an obscene amount of money
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Gallagher’s Meat Locker

Should you max out the credit card on some fine Porterhose steak though, you can always turn to another New York classic for the rest of your stay. Everywhere you look, there are Pizza places offering reasonably priced slices. These are not only ridiculously cheap, but also hot, tasty and gigantic. Even a few dollars will buy you a feast, and you’ll be in good company, as the best places proudly display pictures of their celebrity regulars along the counter.

Top tip for a cheap night out? Head to the Village, grab a takeaway at Bleecker Street Pizza and walk a couple of blocks down to 55 Bar, which has a 2-drink per set minimum cover, but actively encourages folks to bring in or order their own food. Sit back, order a beer, and enjoy some fine live jazz with your $1 slices.

55 Bar has a 2-drink per set minimum cover, but actively encourages folks to bring in or order their own food
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The cheapest option in NY is definitely a slice

In the mood for dessert? I know just the place. Back in 2009, Douglas Quint and Bryan Petroff got themselves an ice cream van with a difference. It proved such a huge hit that they went on to open two Big Gay Ice Cream shops, and on a busy West Village Saturday night, the well-managed queue winds its way around the block. My Salty Pimp ice cream cone, however, was well worth the wait.

Go on, treat yourself to a salty pimp
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Big Gay Salty Pimp? Yes Please!

Speaking of sweets, one is really spoiled for cake choices in New York, and asking locals what’s the best cheesecake in town is likely to spark passionate debate. Yet for me the Magnolia Bakery is hard to beat. They have a nearly endless variety of cakes, biscuits, ice cream, tarts and puddings, but if you only have one sweet treat while in NY, it should be their Red Velvet Cheesecake. Enough said.

Magnificent Magnolia Red Velvet Cheesecake

Alice Bonasio is a VR Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post Eating Your Way Around The Big Apple appeared first on Tech Trends.