今年の一皿「タピオカ」　社会現象に―ぐるなび調査

　ぐるなび総研（東京）は５日、２０１９年に話題を集めた「今年の一皿」にタピオカを選んだ。人気店には若年層をはじめ多くの人が行列をつくり、「ブームを超えて社会現象化した」（同総研）ことが決め手となった。
　飲食店情報サイト「ぐるなび」で、タピオカメニューを扱う店舗の登録数（６月時点）は前年比で３．２倍に拡大。組み合わせの飲料も定番のミルクティー以外に抹茶やウーロン茶など選択肢が増え、楽しみ方が多様化しているという。
　候補は「ぐるなび」利用者が検索した言葉などを基に選出。タピオカ以外に、みそやしょうゆなどを使った発酵食メニュー、チーズ料理がノミネートされた。（2019/12/05-15:33）

"Tapioca" has been named the "One Dish of the Year" for 2019, the Gurunavi Research Institute said Thursday.
   Popularity of colorful drinks containing small balls of tapioca, starch derived from the cassava plant, has swept across Japan, with people of only younger but wider generations forming long queues in front of stores gaining reputation through social networks.
   "The tapioca boom grew to become a social phenomenon," the affiliate of Japanese online restaurant search and booking service provider Gurunavi Inc. said. "Now coined words 'tapi-ru' and 'tapi-katsu (both meaning 'having tapioca') are familiar to many."
   The number of stores registered with the Gurunavi service serving drinks and dishes using tapioca had increased 3.2-fold year on year as of June, according to the institute.
   Other than classic tapioca milk tea, various flavors such as matcha green tea and oolong tea have proved popular.