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北京中国大饭店ARIA餐厅 ARIA China World Hotel Beijing
(2008-03-31 15:53:24)
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北京中国大饭店ARIA餐厅
ARIA
China World Hotel
Beijing
English Version: Randy Lee
Svendsen Chinese Version:
Wendy
Photos: by China World Hotel
Beijing
Dear Cherry,
One thing I can say for sure
about China World Hotel Beijing is that
they have one of the most beautiful lobbies in the world. I first
came to the hotel in 2003 to attend an AMCHAM mixer held in the bar
associated with the restaurant ARIA. I clearly remember being
awestruck by the extravagance of the opulent décor of the lobby
upon entering and leaving the hotel. With lots of red, gold, and
crystal, it was so beautiful that the picture has never left my
memory. Years later, now that I have occasion to be in Beijing
often, I am happy to report that the effect has not changed and I
return regularly to bask in the beauty that surrounds me there. I
have come to expect such pleasant surprises at properties managed
by Shangri-La, and China World Hotel Beijing is one of their crown
jewels.
Recently I read some good
things about their restaurant ARIA and decided to pay them a visit.
I was so happy with my first dinner, that I decided to go back to
do a review. At the left end of the lobby, I approached ARIA and
was greeted by the charming Tina. Requesting first to have a drink
at the bar I entered ARIA through a doorway into the large bar area
with live jazz piano straight ahead and the bar and soft seating
lounge areas to the left. The bar is well stocked and the
bartenders are good. I had my usual martini, which was prepared
perfectly and served in a beautiful Riedel nicely curved martini
glass. I will have to add one of those to my collection. It was
busy in the bar area with lots of people relaxing and having fun
together. I enjoyed the atmosphere, and upon finishing my martini I
asked Tina to take me to my table. To the right of the entranceway
is a big medium colored wood spiral staircase with matching steps
and sides going up to the restaurant area, with wine bottles stored
in the sides of the staircase. This is a very unique and beautiful
entrance process and sets the tone for what to expect when you
arrive at the restaurant above. Launching into the restaurant at
the top of the stairs I was greeted by the view of an open kitchen
behind a round table for 8 to 10 diners. There are four differently
configured dining rooms separated by thick blue velvet curtains,
which really absorb the sounds, and sliding glass doors leaving a
very quiet and private environment whichever room you are in. One
additional room is a private dining room for 10 to 15 people, but
private dinner parties can be reserved in any of the rooms
depending on the size of the party. Wine dinners organized by ARIA
are held in the biggest room.
I was seated at my table by
Tina, and then welcomed by Jay Ming, the restaurant captain and a
very nice gentleman. Jay brought the wine list and menu for me to
review with a glass of Veuve Clicquot “Yellow Label” brut
non-vintage Champagne, another of my favorites. I decided to glance
around at my surroundings before diving into the wine list and
menu, and whilst sipping my Champagne I observed the décor. The
walls are beige and the floors are medium colored wood with square
green rugs in the middle of the rooms with French writing around
the edges. Recessed wooden enclaves are in all corners of the rooms
with a shelf and mirror in the back over the cabinet below. These
empty shelves could be used to help with serving, but I think they
would benefit most from the addition of matching bouquets of fresh
flowers in each enclave per room, with different matching
arrangements in each room. Curtains on the large glass doors to the
outside patio are held open by blue and gold ropes with big gold
tassels on the ends, leaving a very elegant appearance. Ceilings
are a soft white, containing a variety of subtle spot lighting, but
in the middle is a rectangular recess with a large hanging lamp of
domed glass that looks like marble. Opaque beige glass wall sconces
provide soft lighting on each of the wall sections. This lighting
provides a very soft and relaxing effect on the rooms. Walls are
also adorned with large paintings of either people dressed in old
European style clothes, or old style writing, with very big and
thick wooden frames that match the color of the floors. Tables are
a mix of 2 and 4 square, and 6 round covered in white tablecloths.
Chairs are armless and fully upholstered both back and seat, with
dark wooden legs. Upholstery is beige with inch shiny and flat
squares patterned into the weave of the cloth, which interestingly
follows the pattern woven into the white linen napkins. This
expresses great attention to detail in the interior design of ARIA.
All glassware is by Riedel, flatware is by Sambonet, and the white
bone china is by Narumi. Finishing off the tables are tall salt and
pepper grinders with white and black bases, respectively, and
silver tops, a silver coaster is on the table for wine or water
bottles, and a nice silver based and glass column oil lamp provides
the effect of candlelight.
I sat next to the large glass
doorway opening to the patio where garden seating could be
available in the summertime. In January, however, I watched the
snow falling gracefully into the exterior spotlights, providing
movement in the air everywhere I looked. It was truly beautiful.
Soft music was provided in the background by strategically located
speakers all over the restaurant. The only thing missing from this
quiet and elegant setting was a charming lady across the table from
me, with whom I could enjoy the excellent dinner yet to
come.
Now, let’s talk about the wine
list. Weighing several pounds and made of black painted wood, the
cover is a picture frame with one of the people seen in some of the
wall paintings painted on cloth and framed in the cover of the wine
list. 3 brass hinges attach the cover and a matching gold first
page with raised ARIA lettering ties together the natural black and
gold color combination. The wine list is so extensive I will not be
able to cover it all here. The index page lists wines of the month,
wines by the glass, menu marriages, half bottles, Champagne and
sparkling wines, white wines including reisling, sauvignon blanc,
sauvignon blanc blends, semillion, chardonnay, other white
varietals, red wines including pinot noir, merlot, cabernet
sauvignon, cabernet sauvignon blends, Bordeaux blends, shiraz,
shiraz blends, Italian varietals, other red varietals, magnums,
dessert wines and ports. All wines are described in the 36 pages
that follow. There are 39 wines by the glass and 19 half bottles. I
was delighted to see this, knowing that the single diners and light
drinkers are well covered at ARIA. 28 Champagne offerings and 3
sparklers cover the bubbly. The rest is a multinational delight of
wines from everywhere in all the popular varietals. This list is
one of the best I have seen in China. Bottle prices range from 160
RMB for a Spanish tempranillo to 38,890 RMB for a 1982 Chateau
Latour Grand Cru Classe 1st Growth from Bordeaux, France. 1982 was
a fabulous year for Bordeaux, and I can’t imagine how good this
bottle would be. Not in my price range, I will let it remain a
dream.
The menu is covered in stitched
black leather with a copper strip from top to bottom in the center
with ARIA recessed and again stamped in Chinese. A relief at only 4
pages, after the wine list, I could soon get started with dinner.
An appropriate quote by Chef de Cuisine Bernhard Lermann, states
“Welcome to ARIA, a place where food meets drink meets art”. The
menu begins with the set menu called “Aria Miniatures Menu”,
which has 6 courses available at 580 RMB or 1080 RMB including wine
parings. The miniature menu and accompanying wines change every
week, and the wines served by the glass during that week are
otherwise only available by the bottle. The rest of the menu is ala
carte. I chose the “Aria Miniatures Menu” which I will describe
later. The ala carte menu begins with Starters; 12 choices
including a gratin of macaroni, a rabbit confit, Tsarskaya oysters
either shucked or poached, citrus cured salmon, Harbin caviar,
steamed foie gras, tortellini surf and turf with roasted duck on
ragout of prawns and tender vegetables, game consommé with chicken
liver flan, and 3 vegetarian offerings. Starters are priced between
105 and 185 RMB. Main courses begin with Seafood; 7 choices
including sea bass, grilled Tasmanian crayfish, roasted black cod,
roasted scallops, seared red snapper, Shiitake crusted halibut, and
seafood for two which is an assortment. Most seafood choices are
priced under 300 RMB. Vegetarian options follow with porcini
risotto, melting onion tart, and ravioli of cepe mushroom. 4 Meat
choices include first a beef tenderloin preparation with the option
of choosing from 3 kinds of beef tenderloin: aged 200 days
stockyard, Australian Black Angus, or Kirchin at 300 to 425 RMB.
Second, a char grilled sirloin preparation with the option of
choosing from Australian Wagyu or aged 200 days stockyard sirloin
at 850 or 685 RMB respectively. Third is a braised shoulder of lamb
at 325 RMB, and finally a roasted New Zealand lamb cutlet at 225
RMB. 4 side dishes are offered at 35 RMB each.
Now, for my dinner, the “Aria
Miniatures Menu”! I was very well treated by the staff. Jay Ming
managed my entire evening. Mimmie, a trainee, cheerfully brought my
sparkling water to my table, followed by Katherine bringing the
bread. Jay took my order and we got started. The table looked good
with 4 forks and 4 knives arranged so I would work my way from the
outside to the inside with each course. Chris, my waiter, brought
the first course, cured tuna marinated with ginger-coriander
dressing, mesclun salad, and asparagus. This was paired with a
glass of 2006 Henri Bourgeois, Poulliy Fume from the Loire Valley,
France. The tuna was beautifully laid out on the plate, thin
sliced, and the asparagus was split lengthwise. Enough time was
given to comfortably finish the excellent glass of wine before the
next course was served. Next was seared monkfish with curry
emulsion, broccoli, orange zest, and sautéed potatoes, paired with
a glass of 2005 Watershed “Unoaked” Chardonnay, Margaret River,
from Western Australia. The monkfish was very delicate and great
with the orange zest. The potatoes were cut in inch squares and
the orange was cut in minute strips of peel. The chardonnay was
wonderful. I really enjoyed the third course, celery and blood
sausage ravioli with choucroute and celeriac foam, paired with a
glass of 2004 Rochford Macedon Pinot Noir, from Victoria,
Australia. This dish was beautiful all around and the wine was
fantastic. Flavors all over the place! A wide range of tastes like
sauerkraut and pinot noir was wonderful with mouth filling power.
Rick brought the forth course, an orange ginger sorbet meant to
separate the powerful flavors of the last course from the next
course, which was number five, a beef tenderloin marinated in
burgundy wine and boeuf bourguignon style tagliatelle of turnip
delivered by Peter, paired with a glass of 2004 Cape Howe
Cabernet/Merlot blend from Denmark, Western Australia. The
tenderloin was very tender and the sauce was great with the sliced
mushrooms and beans and the perfectly matched wine. My sixth and
final course was crème brulee flavored with honey and Sichuan
pepper, vanilla ice cream, and oranges, paired with a glass of 2004
Laurus Muscat De Beaumes De Venise from the Rhone Valley, France.
Unfortunately, I had to break my stream of happiness at this point
and rush through my dessert and skip my Irish Coffee because the
bar manager came upstairs to tell me I had to hurry so the security
people could inspect the restaurant in preparation for the Prime
Minister of England who would be dining in the restaurant the
following day. Apparently they were already waiting an hour and a
half for me to finish. Feeling very uncomfortable with the way this
was presented to me, I was not happy with the ending of my
otherwise wonderful 5 hour ARIA experience. Mortified, I left
quickly.
Notwithstanding my hastened
exit, the service in ARIA is excellent and the restaurant staff was
perfect in how they addressed me and served my table. My highest
regards go to Jay Ming, the restaurant captain who I consider my
new friend there. I also had a nice chat with Carol Guo, the
assistant restaurant manager. Danny Kane is the ARIA manager and
head sommelier, and Vince Chen is the supervisor. Jason Shi is the
sommelier and assistant manager of the bar and restaurant and
responsible for the wine list. My sincere congratulations to Jason
on the wine list! All wines were served at perfect temperatures,
something I rarely find in many of the finest restaurants. The
Champagne was cold, whites were cellar cool, and reds were at
cellar temperature. Perfect!
With Happiness,
CHEERS!!
My Best as Always,
Randy
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