Forbidden City Asian Bistro : Vegan Style

As you may know, Forbidden City Bistro here in Middletown, CT is one of our favorite places to eat. We don't just eat when we go there, we sit for hours, talk, go through many bottles of very good wine, try this, try that and visit with owner Eric Leong and Mario Wongsosudiro who have become very dear friends to us.

 Eric always makes sure that his dishes are thoughtfully created and executed. Mario, makes sure that everything else is running smoothly and is largely responsible for your good time and yummy drinks. My personal favorite is " Lost In Manilla".  If you stop in, you won't regret ordering it. It's a stemless martini glass of whiskey, citrus and mango flavors that really sneak up on you after you've gulped it down too fast. I

 had the honor once again of photographing their cuisine. This time I photographed the dishes on the NEW vegetarian and vegan menu. Most of the 15 new recipes are vegan. Not only are the new creations bright and pleasing to the eye, but they will knock your socks off! The flavors are really well executed. To learn a little bit more about this menu, here is the press release: 

Forbidden City Bistro and Art Gallery 335 Main Street Middletown 06457-3309 860-343-8288 January 24, 2014 Contact Eric Leong eric@forbiddencitybistro.com Phone (860) 343-8288 For Immediate Release CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR WITH NEW VEGAN AND VEGETARIAN CUISINE AT FORBIDDEN CITY BISTRO Forbidden City Bistro celebrates 2014, The Year of the Horse For 600 years, the Imperial Palace of China, also known as the Forbidden City, summoned the best chefs from all corners of the country for the emperor's enjoyment. Like its namesake, Forbidden City Bistro has consistently served the best of regional Chinese cuisines, bringing exotic and contemporary Asian Fusion to Middletown since 2005. Now, Eric Leong has added a new dimension to his menu of exotic Malaysian cuisine, with 15 new vegan and vegetarian dishes, all featuring his unique Eastern and Malaysian flavors. These are not your typical vegetarian items. The Fava Bean Ravioli is a fresh, bright dish prepared with shiitake mushrooms, eggplant & snow peas in a green curry sauce. Laksa Tempeh is a comforting mix of spongy tofu and fermented soy prepared with cabbage, broccoli, mushrooms & eggplant, all simmered in a pineapple curry. The Cantonese Risotto is an earthy and sophisticated mixture of sweet brown rice and porcini mushrooms. His Five-Elements Quinoa is a stir fry of onions, shallots, shiitake mushrooms, soy beans and goji berries with quinoa & black beans. Owner Eric Leong created these items and 11 other vegetarian and vegan delights. “I want to offer our community a unique, contemporary spin on vegan and vegetarian cuisine that embraces traditional Malaysian flavors in a modern way.” Malaysian cuisine is a fascinating blend of Malay, Chinese, and Indian food traditions, with Indonesian, Thai, Portuguese and Middle Eastern influences. These new dishes are colorful, exotic, and full of enticing flavors. In addition to the new vegan and vegetarian items, Forbidden City Bistro will be offering other special items to celebrate the New Year, including Wok-seared Ginger and Lobster and Pan-Roasted Duck Breast from January 28th until Feb 2nd. The vegan and vegetarian items will be permanent additions to the dining menu. For more information contact Eric Leong at (860) 343-8288 or via email at eric@forbiddencitybistro.com. Photos available upon request. Here are some of the photos from the shoot: