The Fairmont Hotel has unveiled its version of the "hip hotel" dining experience with Aria and Aria Bar. A separate entrance lets non-guests forget that they are actually dining in a hotel. The globally influenced restaurant has an Asian feel, with granite and black colors offset with depictions of Tibetan deities, exotic orchids and plush furnishings. A floor-to-ceiling wine cabinet (complete with librarian ladder), an open kitchen with a tandoor oven and spit, a dramatic chef's table, and a glass-enclosed private dining room provide plenty of distractions for diners.
The seasonal dinner menu offers more than 15 appetizers, including foie gras, mushroom ragout and sauteed sweetbreads. Hong Kong barbecue duck and lobster chow mein, spit-roasted rack and leg of lamb, and swordfish osso buco style are a few of the entree selections. Bone-in, char-grilled steaks, including a rib-eye and New York strip are among the house specialties. Lunch options include such entrees as Malaysian clay pot chicken, tandoori salmon salad and garlic and chili prawn pad Thai. Breakfast features interesting takes on crepes, hash and omelets, as well as the standard breakfast fare.
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