F & B : TableTop – Fine dining
Custom-made set pieces such as a red frosted water tumbler and red rubber placemat aim to represent Canada ’ s colorful heritage at Fairmont Nanjing ’ s Western-style steakhouse , Vancouver Grill .
Colorful , locally made linens and modern pieces such as mirrored dishes blend with top-quality china and glassware to create a “ rustic-chic ” look at 6.8 Palopo Restaurant at Casa Palopo in Guatemala .
Hawaii ’ s sugar plantation era is highlighted on tabletops at Fairmont Kea Lani ’ s K with wood tables , green-swirl glassware , green placemats and bamboo centerpieces resembling sugarcane .
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As China continues to grow more prominent on the world stage , attracting an increasing number of international travelers , fine-dining trends long evident elsewhere are manifesting themselves here , too . Namely , even restaurants serving elegant fare are doing so in a somewhat casual setting often intended to reflect a given locale . “ Rarely would you have a dress code at a restaurant ,” observes Christopher Johnson , director of food and beverage at Fairmont Nanjing . “ The result ? Better food in a dress-down setting . This includes tabletops .”
Fairmont Nanjing ’ s Westernstyle steakhouse Vancouver Grill , for one , exudes a laid-back Canadian sensibility with details including custom-made Canadianthemed set pieces such as a red frosted tumbler for water and a red rubber placemat . “ Our dining tables , with a wood finish or wooden-log pattern , further accentuate the arbor theme and showcase how Canada is one of the world ’ s top exporters of lumber ,” Johnson adds .
Evoking a sense of place also is key at 6.8 Palopo Restaurant at Casa Palopo in Atitlan , Guatemala . There , tabletops blend top-quality china and glassware with locally made linens and modern , outside-the-box elements such as mirrored dishes to create a “ rustic-chic ” experience for guests , says owner Claudia Bosch . “ Because we are in such an exotic location , we like to focus on simplicity while subtly incorporating the destination ,” Bosch notes .
www . hotelsmag . com March 2015 HOTELS 39