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A trip to the brand-new Crowne Plaza Hangzhou Hotel was something I couldn't pass up, especially since I was invited to attend the soft-opening for the Food and Beverage Department, in the form of a Valentine's Day-themed buffet. There would be live entertainment and a full selection of various cuisines, ranging from standard Chinese fare to Japanese, Italian... even a 'pastry bar' to satisfy the sweet tooth. I was met in the spacious lobby by the very personable Food and Beverage Director, Marc Cerqueda. He escorted me up to the fourth floor, where the FU CAFE is located. As I stepped out of the lift, and into the lobby... I could see that a well-lit, cleanly-decorated, and modern dining room was our destination, and it wouldn't be long before we were settled into our seats with a nice glass of the house red wine in front of us.

All hotels have a period of time where they are new in town, and there is a little awkwardness, as well as the breaking-in of services, which can be a bit tedious for the staff and management of the property, who are doing their best to maintain a quality standard that was established by previous hotels inside and outside of their network. This was a bold move for the Crowne Plaza Hotel, because doing a test-flight with incomplete facilities puts anyone at a disadvantage. The good news is, they pulled it off without any major flaws.

For starters, there were lots of greens and cold food items to choose from. A handful of Arugula with some shaved Reggiano cheese and croutons, topped with a drizzle of red vinegar and onion puree gave me a nice light entry to the rest of the meal. There was a very large cured salmon offered as well, and an attendant wearing the classic whites of a kitchen worker was on hand to slice some off, at the guest's request. As I scanned the room for details, I noticed that everything had the characteristic look and feel of brand-new equipment. All the stainless steel was shiny, all the appliances had their fittings and parts in place. There was no tell-tale wear and tear on these things, and I took a nice, deep breath as I enjoyed the "new hotel smell" that was all around me.

Second course... I was impressed at the little service touches, as I left my napkin and utensils askew at my place on the dinner table, and returned to find them re-adjusted and freshened up. My old plate had vanished, and there was even a little more wine in my glass! Even though the room was full of people, it seems that the staff at the hotel was trained primarily in anticipating the needs of the guests, and they definitely strove to make my stay as comfortable as possible.

I took a minute to speak with John Han, the Executive Chef, and he was kind enough to take a second out of his busy night to tell me that he's "especially proud of the pizza and pastries... and don't forget to try the beef, because it's actual Kobe!"

In spite of the fact that the live violin music was directly behind me -- and made conversation a little awkward -- I was pleased to find that the relatively few smokers in the room weren't engulfing everyone else in their smoke, thanks to the high ceilings and good ventilation in the room. I discovered that my initial impression of the room's size was indeed wrong. It was actually about twice as big as I had thought, and I could see there was a waist-level partition with lighted displays separating the two dining rooms. All in all, the entire dining area had a clean, polished, and uncluttered feel to it. There was plenty of room for guests and staff members to weave around each other in dizzying paths as people continued to hit the buffet... and as workers carried on with replenishing stations and serving additional items to the tables.

I am a picky guy when it comes to pizza, and the pizza at the hotel is truly a welcome thing, since it is prepared using a large stone oven, which is walled-in with glass, so everyone can see cooks going through the motions of pulling hot, sizzling pizzas from its fiery cavity. A crisp thin crust, paired with a generous helping of cheese, made my mouth water. I was a little shocked to discover that this particular pizza was topped with a medley of fruit... I swear I could have identified strawberries, melon, apples, and pineapple... as well as some bits of shrimp! An unusual combination, to say the least... but I found it to be rather enjoyable. Perhaps this was a playful attempt at doing something new and original.

There was also a grill, complete with fresh cutlets of beef, lamb, pork, and tuna. Everything could be prepared to order, and there were numerous pastas with meats and sauces nearby too. Good planning and a simply-designed layout kept the flow of people from colliding and bottle-necking at any point, and it was no trouble to park yourself on one side of the grill station, while waiting for your order to be completed. Of course I tried the steak, and it was every bit as tender and tasty as I would have expected from imported beef.

Finally, there was the pastry bar. Just when I thought I had done enough damage at the other stations, I found myself faced with everything from classic whipped cream-filled profiteroles, to a decadent chocolate mousse cake. I was introduced to the Sous Chef, Margaret Chen, and I thanked her for putting these particular items out for the night. As she shuffled away, I leaned back in my seat, and made a mental not to myself: I was going to have to return in a couple of weeks for the opening date of the Korean restaurant (which is on the same floor) and also to see the bar / lounge on the Lobby level. Soon enough... for now, I would just finish my chocolate mousse, and be glad that I had a chance to enjoy some rather cheerful and relaxing surroundings on Valentine's Day.

Special thanks to Marc Cerqueda, John Han, the staff at the Crowne Plaza Hangzhou Hotel, and Maggie Yee.

-by Rueben Marley

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