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Chef Laurent Hollaender of The Boheme, the fine dining restaurant inside The Grand Bohemian Hotel at 325 S Orange Avenue (MAP) in downtown Orlando hosted an intimate gathering of local newspaper writers, magazine publishers, freelance writers, instagram superstars, and hyperlocal news writers Tuesday evening.
The purpose of the gathering was to allow everyone to observe, sample, and document several new additions to the menu. This took the form of a three hour 10-item sampling dinner not inside The Boheme, but rather inside a hidden single-table 15 seat private dining room.
Small versions of each dish were brought out one by one in tiny bowls and and little plates.
The stars of the night were the four courses that contained four new vegan dishes created by Chef Hollaender. He said he was inspired to add the four items not due to guest request or recent trends toward plant-based eating, but because his Manager kept requesting vegan options for himself for lunch.
The Chef wanted to use some local food products in the menu and did so by including gelato made by The Greenery Creamery which is also located downtown and honey by Dadant & Sons located in High Springs which is packaged and marketed by Black Bee Honey as part of the Parramore Kidz Zone project.
The new menu items were introduced January 2020.
SPICED CHICKPEA AND LENTIL SOUP - Onion, carrot, turmeric, fried chickpeas, lemon, micro greens.
VEGAN LINGUINI BOLOGNESE - Made with ground cauliflower, mushrooms, carrots, onions, pumpkin seeds & sundried tomatoes topped with cashew parmesan.
BEET POKE BOWL - Marinated beets, kimchi cucumbers, radish, carrots, grilled scallions, avocado, jasmine rice.
BLUEBERRY LAVENDER GELATO - Served with a lemon almond crisp. The gelato is made by The Greenery Creamery. The crisp is made in-house. Photo Credit: The Daily City
I love seeing how vibrant Orlando’s vegan scene is growing, and this list really highlights some top spots to check out. What stands out to me is how these places embrace creativity, not just in their food but in their presentation as well. I recently came across a menu letter board that would be perfect for displaying daily specials in any of these vegan restaurants. It adds such a personal touch, while also making the menu easy to read and update. It’s a small thing, but I think it can elevate the whole dining experience! What do you think about menu boards in these spaces?