The Forbidden Becomes Imperial

After checking in on Johnny Angel this past Wednesday night, I went to have a late meal at a great Chinese restaurant in Indianapolis that I go to often.

I think the family who owns it gets a kick out of always asking me:

"How are you tonight?"

and hearing my regular one word reply:

"Hungry!!!"

And, on this particular night, I was more than a little hungry, because I hadn't had time to eat anything that day but some iced tea and a small bowl of dried vegetables--corn and peas I'd gotten from the place I featured the website of here:

"Go Here To Get A Schoolgirl Crush On Roy!" 

I ordered something called Five Flavor Shrimp or something like that, which my tastebuds are still enjoying multiple orgasms from the memory of!

This went well with the rest of the inspiring-multiple-orgasms-of-my-tastebuds yummies:

tea, ice water, hot & sour soup, won ton chips, spring vegetable egg roll that I added both sweet & sour and hot mustard sauces to, the rice served with the main course, and the dessert of chocolate-vanilla-twist ice cream, butterfly cookies, and a fortune cookie that said that somebody was going to hug me!

But something out-of-the-ordinary happened that night. Jason (who owns and works at this wonderful place along with his wife and kids)
approached me and asked me if I could write some sort of announcement to let customers know that--even though they were about to change the name of the restaurant to Imperial City, it would still be the same people who owned and operated it.

He told me that they had come up with the name for it first and had been there for almost 20 years.

Then, other places began calling themselves that--you know, the old saying about "often imitated but never duplicated."

Anyway--since they considered themselves to be the best--they wanted to stand out from the rest!

So, if you're ever in Indy and see this Chinese restaurant in the shopping center anchored by Kroger supermarket that sits back from Keystone avenue on the east side--the exact address and phone number being:

2605 E 65th St
Indianapolis, IN 46220-1507
Phone: [phone]

It doesn't matter if they're calling themselves Forbidden City, Imperial City, or AJ & Johnny Angel's Hangout (I wish!)--this place is a wonderful place to check out, if you're going to be on the northeast side of Indianapolis and want to eat some wonderful Chinese food where you don't have to dress in prom clothes or get into your kid's college fund to enjoy food that's not only yummy but served (with a smile, of course) in style (example: part of the garnish that was on the entree plate was a delicious radish that had been cut in a peeling way and then formed into the shape of a flower!).

Anyway, here's the poem I wrote for them to use to announce their name change and continued presence to other customers:

Forbidden City Changes To Imperial City

by

Ainsley Jo Phillips,

Hoosier Pen Lady

for

Jason & Faye Zheng & Family

For a long time, this place was Forbidden City--
A fitting name for a place so pretty
That served a wide variety of Chinese food
That tasted really great instead of merely good.

But, then, Forbidden Cities popped up here and there,
Causing Jason and his family to finally declare
That it was high time for a change of name
Before people got the notion that they were all the same.

So, they decided the new name would be Imperial City--
But, then, the thought occurred to them that it would be a pity
If people thought the Zheng Family had moved away. . .
But how to get the news out that they were here to stay?

Here's where I fit into things: Came in one night to eat,
And Jason walked up to me--asked me if I'd be so sweet
As to write a little message so that customers would know
That, though the name had changed, this was still the place to go.

It's the very same family; same service with a smile;
The same chef's turning out the food that makes it all worthwhile.
And let me say just one more thing as I close this rhyming letter:
If there are any changes, they will all be for the better!!!
.