1863 - The Dining Room
THE ASTOR HOTEL, TIANJIN
A Starwood Luxury Collection Hotel

Dear Cherry,

I am absolutely thrilled to be able to write about the oldest and most famous international hotel in China, The Astor Hotel, Tianjin.  A Starwood Luxury Collection Hotel, it is the epitome of historic splendor, brimming with the warmth and comfort only the accumulation of time can offer.  Since I heard about the renovation of this landmark hotel I was excited to pay a visit and write about my experiences there.  I arrived at the hotel a day early so I could take many photos and absorb the warmth, beauty, and history of the hotel.  My room, in the old section, was beautiful, with original floors of dark wood boards arranged in a herringbone pattern, still showing the scratches of time.  This added a warm feeling to the old room, which was gently restored and appointed with modern conveniences, but designed to retain the feelings of olden times, including an original style chandelier and canopy bed.  It was very well done!  From The Astor Hotel’s website:  “In the summer of 1863, John Innocent, a British Methodist missionary, arrived in Tianjin determined to bring Western-style housing to the city.  After a few unsuccessful attempts, two buildings were drawn up.  One was a storehouse and the other, the first international hotel in modern Chinese history, The Astor Hotel.

The name ‘Astor’ was originally derived from three Chinese characters: ‘Li, Shun, De’ which express the Confucian ideals of the ‘power of understanding’ and the ‘power of reason,’ both close to missionary values that were deemed befitting for the hotel.

From the onset in 1863 until the end of the 19th century, The Astor Hotel became the prime venue for all diplomatic activity in Tianjin, and was soon named one of the first Diplomatic residences in China. The British consulate held most of its meetings there and the American consulate was first established within the hotel and did not relocate until 1929.  Hebert Hoover, later 31st President of the United States of America, regularly patronized the hotel during his mission in China with Morling & Co.  Additionally, two international treaties were signed at the hotel, the Sino-Denmark Treaty and the Sino-Netherlands treaty, both signed in 1863.

In the summer of 1886, renovation and extension work began on The Astor Hotel as the hotel was brought up to par with the growing needs of the foreign concessions.  From a one-story building, the hotel became a three level structure with a veranda and tower facing the park to the west. 
In 1924, a new building emerged, which joined the 1886 building and featured an American Otis elevator.  Three decades later, in 1954, a Tibetan committee, including the Living Buddha Apei Awangjinmei, stayed at The Astor Hotel and a special room was organized where the 10th Banchan chanted the Buddhist Sutra.

Now after 147 years of fabled history, a landmark event and substantial upgrade has led the Tianjin Tourism Group to appoint Starwood Hotels & Resorts to manage this prestigious and historic hotel to revive the legend and restore The Astor Hotel to its prime place as the ‘Grande Dame of Tianjin’”.  The Astor is the only historical luxury hotel listed as a national relic, and known to be the first international hotel in China.  At the time it was built, there were 9 foreign concessions in Tianjin, and The Astor was built in the British Concession.  There is a wonderful museum in the basement of the hotel, which I visited for hours.  I was amazed to see a photograph of my President, Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States in the Astor Hotel in 1879 visiting with General & Viceroy for the Qing Dynasty, Li Hongzhang.  Sun Yat-sen conducted revolutionary activities from his base at the Astor Hotel, and between 1925 and 1931, during their 6 years in Tianjin, the last Emperor of China, Pu Yi, with Empress Wan Rong and Concubine Wen Xiu came regularly to the Astor Hotel to dance the Tango.  Much of what happened in Tianjin during the last 148 years happened there.  The historical significance of this hotel is far too vast for inclusion here, so I highly recommend a stay at the hotel and a visit to their museum.  Meanwhile, check out the hotel’s website at: http://www.starwoodhotels.com/luxury/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=3522

It was Saturday night and I was ready to go!  I decided to begin my review in O’Hara’s English Pub, the oldest bar in China.  Named after William O’Hara who was appointed Managing Director of the Astor Hotel in 1916, this was my kind of bar!  I asked the Bartender, Andy Chen, to make my Dry Martini, but this time with no Vermouth.  I pulled out my pocked mister and sprayed 4 squirts of Vermouth mist over the cold, clean Bombay Sapphire Gin.  This makes the perfect Dry Martini, as to my taste, too much Vermouth ruins the drink.  I had a nice talk with Coco Hu as she prepared the glassware for another memorable night in O’Hara’s and I spoke with David Woodford, Executive Chef and F&B Director about my plans for the evening and told him how excited I was to be writing about the most historic hotel in China.  Upon finishing my drink and my wonderful talk with Coco I told her I would return to the Bar after dinner and I walked to the restaurant, 1863 – The Dining Room.  In the oldest part of the hotel, it is classic in appearance and warmth, with walls of dark, wood paneled wainscoting and beige textured wallpaper above, and herringbone patterned dark wood floors.  Old Chinese art and calligraphy are displayed on the walls and the configuration of the restaurant is intimate, in fact this is the most elegant and intimate fine dining restaurant I have seen in a hotel, with only 3 small adjoining rooms and a total of 24 seats.  In good weather there are 24 more seats directly outside on the covered terrace on the corner of the building, looking over the busy streets to the park beyond.  2 of the rooms have only 2 tables each and the larger room has 5, all of which can be arranged in different configurations to accommodate the situation at hand.  I was greeted by Aki Xiao, the Fine Dining Manager, who seated me at my table and gave me the wine lists and the menu.  Since I had enjoyed an extra Martini in my excitement to be in this venerable hotel, I skipped my usual glass of Champagne and jumped directly into a glass of 2009 Gerard Bertrand 6’eme Sens Blanc from France.  Sipping on this, I reviewed the documentation. 

The first Wine List is the standard Starwood Wines of the World and all selections are available by the glass.  There is 1 Wine Tasting of 3 reds from Argentina, China, and Spain.  Then by the glass or bottle are 1 Champagne and 1 Sparkling from Australia; 4 whites from Chile, China, France, and New Zealand; and 7 reds from Argentina, Australia, Chile, China, France, Italy, and Spain.  There is another wine list under construction and specific to this hotel, which is much more extensive including 5 Champagne and 1 Sparkling from Australia; 18 whites from France, Italy, USA, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and China; 48 reds from France, Italy, USA, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile, Argentina, Spain, and China; and 2 Dessert wines from France and Hungary.  I selected a bottle of fine red wine, a 2007 Santa Carolina Barrica Selection Gran Reserva Syrah from Chile, and asked Aki to open it to allow it to breath.   

The Menu begins with Soups & Salads and includes Prawn Bisque; Mushroom Minestrone; Borscht; Olga’s Salad, fried strips of potato & beef mixed with beetroot & carrot; Cucumber & Tomato Salad; and Stolichni Salad.  Next are Astor Classics including Beef Stroganoff, Chicken Kiev, and Pork Shasblick.  From the Sea – Delicate & Savoury includes Charcoal Grilled Boston Lobster; Grilled Butterfly Fillet of Salmon; Baked Loin of Cod; Sea & Land, Grilled Beef Tenderloin & ½ Lobster.  From the Land – Generous & Hearty comes Grilled Beef Tenderloin or Ribeye; Short Rib Pork Chop; Rack of Lamb; and choice of Sauces, Potatoes & Vegetables.  Desserts include 5 seductive sweet creations and another 5 including ice cream.  The most fascinating is The Astor Historical Menus, which include stories about 5 famous people and menus offered from those times.  Aloha Wanderwell, a Canadian born Adventurer, famous for being the first woman to drive around the world in a Model T Ford, a most grueling adventure through 43 countries, towing the Model T across rivers by water buffalo, hunting elephants in Indo-China, and nearly dying of thirst in the Sudanese desert.  During her tour, she stayed at the Astor Hotel, which was one of her official sponsors.  Included in the menu are a few dishes she enjoyed at the Astor Hotel.  Other historic menus include those of Gu Weijin, his Western name V.K. Wellington Koo, was a diplomat under the Republic of China, representative to the Paris Peace Conference of 1919, Ambassador to France, Great Britain, and the USA, co-founder of The League of Nations and The United Nations, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Premier and Interim President of the Republic of China; Huang Xing, the Chinese revolutionary leader, militarist, statesman who was the first commander in chief for the Republic of China.  As one of the founders of the Kuomintang and the Republic of China, his position was next to Sun Yat-sen.  Together they were known as Sun-Huang during the Xinhai Revolution.  He was known as the “eight fingered general” because of wounds caused during the war; John Innocent arrived in Tianjin from Shanghai in 1861 and in 1863 opened The Astor Hotel, then called “Mud House” and later “Old House”.  The celebration menu from that period is offered today.  William O’Hara was appointed Managing Director of The Astor Hotel in 1916 and built the new hotel, which opened in 1924.  The menu served in the new dining hall is offered today.  Fascinating offerings from history, I am going to try all of these menus during my future visits to The Astor.

My Dining Experience began with reviewing the menu with Aki.  Because the origin of the hotel is English, the menu is based on English Cuisine.  However, many Russians lived and worked in Tianjin historically, and with a heritage of a Chinese Dad and a Chinese/Russian Mom, The Astor’s General Manager, Leon Lee worked with Executive Chef and F&B Director, David Woodford, to offer a full complement of Russian Cuisine as well.  Intrigued, I decided to try all Russian dishes: Borscht – Russian Beetroot Soup Flavored with Oxtail; Stolichni Salad – Sliced Apple, Chicken & Potato Salad with a Hardboiled Egg & Dill Sauce; Beef Stroganoff – Tender Beef Slices in a Delicately Flavored Sauce with Mushrooms & Onions Topped with Sour Cream and Served with Rice; Dessert Blinchiki – Russian Crepe Filled with Sweet Cream.  With great enthusiasm I gave my order to Aki and waited with anxious anticipation for my new experiences with Russian Cuisine.  I pondered this over another glass of delicious white wine, Russian Cuisine in Tianjin, China….I was not expecting this, so I knew it was going to be fun!  This was a truly international affair: French white wine, Chilean red wine, and Russian Cuisine from an English Food & Beverage Director, a Chinese Chef and restaurant staff in Tianjin, China led by an American General Manager of Chinese and Russian ancestry, all for me, an American of Norwegian, Italian, and German ancestry living in Beijing, China.  OK, time to eat, ha-ha!  Aki brought my Borscht, a rich and chunky oxtail and vegetable soup with lots of tomatoes, onions, and carrots.  I ground some black pepper on top from my pocket grinder, made by Peugeot, and stirred it into the soup.  The soup was warm with hearty flavors for the advancing winter weather.  I enjoyed it with the fruity white wine from Longuedoc, France.  When it gets really cold, I would enjoy this soup sitting next to a roaring fireplace.  David stopped in to check on me and told me about his upcoming modifications to the menu.  Since Cod Fish is one of their most popular dishes, he is planning a Cod Fish promotional menu and more Russian dishes on the main menu.  Susan Zhao, my Waitress, brought my Stolichni Salad.  It was a cold mixture of diced smoked chicken, apple, and potato with a smooth mayonnaise sauce.  It was very cool and refreshing following the hearty soup, and the salad was great with the cool white wine.  While waiting for my next course I reflected on my environment.  If you want a quiet, romantic setting to truly connect with someone, this is the place, and the elegant classical music adds the finishing touches to the ambience.  I switched to the red wine, a very interesting Syrah from Chile, medium bodied with smooth tannins leaving a long, spicy finish.  I anticipated it would be good with the Beef Stroganoff.  I remembered that my Mom used to make Beef Stroganoff regularly when I was growing up and she would serve it over egg noodles.  I always liked it and I wondered if this would be as good as hers was.  She has not made this in decades, so maybe I will put in a request for Beef Stroganoff for my next visit to her house (along with her Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies and Pineapple Upside Down Cake).  Thinking about this, I enjoyed listening to one of Frédéric Chopin’s Nocturnes.  With such beautiful music and the dim and romantic lighting, I was a little sorry I was alone, but now I know where to bring a special guest.  Chef Martin Wu brought my Beef Stroganoff and explained the dish to me with obvious care and sincerity.  I leaned forward and took a deep sniff.  Wow, with a dab of strong garlic paste on top of tender strips of beef blended with strips of pickles, mushrooms, beets, onions, and rich gravy, this smelled fantastic!  Served with steamed rice to put in the sauce I was looking for that roaring fireplace.  Now this was something I could get my arms around for the winter.  I stabbed my fork into the mixture and took a big bite.  I was stunned.  Sorry Mom, this is the best Beef Stroganoff I have tasted, simply awesome!  I loved it – so rich and powerfully flavored.  The Syrah was a great match for this supremely hearty dish.  OK, I thought, I’ll have another glass.  I soaked up every last drop of the remaining rich sauce with the rice.  Nothing from this dish escaped me.  It was gone!  As I write this now it is very cold in Beijing and I am craving another serving of this Beef Stroganoff….I wonder if I can get a double serving next time, hmmm.  I settled back in my chair to reflect on this magnificent combination of flavors and enjoyed the wine and the music.  Just when I was thinking about my return to O’Hara’s for the rest of the night’s festivities, Susan brought my dessert, the Blinchiki Crepe.  It looked enticing with a filo disc on top of the rolled crepe and whipped cream and a sprig of mint on top of that.  Sliced strawberries were scattered on the plate with sweet syrup.  I discovered that the crepe was stuffed with the same wonderful whipped cream found on top.  What can I say but this was fabulous.  Actually, my entire dining experience was wonderful.  Clearly, I need to spend more time with Russian Cuisine.  Chef Martin sent out a final mixed fruit plate, which I enjoyed as a cool transition from the full bodied dishes in 1863 – The Dining Room, to the cold, clean drinks waiting for me in O’Hara’s English Pub.  My congratulations to the entire staff of the restaurant for providing an exciting and unique dining experience in the most elegant and romantic restaurant setting I have found in China.  I was so comfortable and happy, I felt like this was my home. 

My Lounge Experience began when I walked out of the restaurant and down the hall to O’Hara’s and took a seat near the front of the room where the live jazz music is performed.  Along with the full compliment of the usual bar amenities, for those interested there is a good collection of Single Malt Scotch and Cigars, which you can enjoy in the bar or the adjacent lounge while listening to the music.  I asked Bar Manager, Hedy Liu, to make a Manhattan for me with Makers Bourbon.  She stirred one up perfectly for me, as I knew she would because I knew Hedy in her last job in a 5 Star hotel in Beijing.  As she is one of my favorites, it was a pleasant surprise to see her.  Sipping on my cool Manhattan I was intoxicated not by the drink, but by the sultry voice of the beautiful jazz singer standing before me, Jiang Hong from Shanghai.  Taking the English name Only, she reminded me of the old Rock ‘n’ Roll song Only the Lonely, though I am sure Only will never be lonely.  When I came into the bar she was on break and talking with the guests.  She was killing me even before she started singing!  Only sings all my favorite old standard American jazz classics as well as the famous Chinese songs of decades past.  Jazz pianist Willie Feng, who expertly “tickles the ivories”, accompanies her with great expression on a big, black studio upright piano with excellent tone and projection.  Leon Lee, General Manager, joined me for a few drinks and a long talk about the history of the hotel and his plans for its future.  I was so enthralled with my entire experience at The Astor that I jokingly asked him when I could move in.  My pleasant conversation with Leon, along with Only’s performance, brought my wonderful night to a reluctant finish.  I thought, “Why does it have to end?”  Well, it doesn’t, because I am making The Astor my weekend retreat.  They have all of my favorite “habits” covered, and from Beijing it is only a 30-minute train ride in a special First Class seat you can get for the price of a Martini.  I’ll take mine “Shaken, not Stirred”.  See you at The Astor!

CHEERS!

My Best as Always,

Randy