Imported seafood is being used by an American luxury hotel chain to tempt China’s nouveau riche this month.
The Waldorf Astoria Beijing is serving a dinner for two that includes pan-seared toro and sea urchin with roasted peach and greens served with champagne, foie gras and scallop for an eye-popping CNY 1,988 (USD 298.20, EUR 269.45). The dinner is being specially offered to celebrate the Qixi festival, marketed as Chinese Valentine’s Day.
The Qixi holiday, which falls on 9 August this year, has its roots in a mythological romance. Having long been ignored by the country’s Communist rulers, it has been revived in recent years as “China’s Valentine’s Day” by the hospitality industry and vendors of luxury goods.
The hotel is also promoting an “ultra-luxury seafood tower” buffet, which costs USD 80 to 100 (EUR 70 to 88) and, according to hotel public relations staff, boasts “the finest and freshest seafood ingredients that
The tower features French wild oyster, Carabineros red fire prawns, Boston lobster, poached Norway langoustines, King of Razor Clams, sea urchin, Oscietra caviar, and Alaska King crab.
