Article By Anthony Cordina
No.1, Zhu Que Zhong Road, Beilin District.
朱雀路中段1号西安皇冠假日酒店51楼(西安皇冠假日酒店51层)
158 2938 6939
11:30am – 2:00pm
5:30pm – 10:00pm
Average Price per Person /人均消费: 492RMB
PROS: Great views, service and food
CONS: High demand usually means no walk-in service
Bar and Grill 51 is a pretty straight-forward name. It’s a bar. It’s a grill. And it was recently recognized as America’s newest and smallest state. Kidding! Actually, B&G 51 is the 51st floor of the Crowne Plaza building near Xiaozhai and is the highest restaurant in the city.
Half bar, half restaurant, B&G 51 boasts a full 360 degree view of Xi’an with the dining area facing a general northeasterly direction and the bar area facing a south-westerly direction. Needless to say the view is absolutely breathtaking. You can see right to the edges of the city and beyond (depending on the air quality) and the sunset over the canopy of high-rises is quite surreal.
As you might expect from Crowne Plaza, the interior is lavish. The reception in particular is especially elegant with grey, white and caramel marble flooring and a chandelier resembling a school of fish gracefully undulating down from the layered ceiling. You will be treated to slow renditions of modern Chinese pop songs being played from the grand piano tucked away in the corner.
The menu is largely Mediterranean with ingredients sourced from all over the world. Some examples of these are the French oysters, Canadian lobster, Australian beef, Mexican scallops and Alaskan King Crab. Dishes are all meticulously prepared and beautifully presented by well trained staff who keep close tabs on your table at all times. You will select your food, a set meal or à la carte, from a tablet with detailed English translations for each dish.
The bar opens at nine and the lights below slowly turn on as if the city itself were adjusting to the mood inside. The live music stops and is replaced by a more upbeat selection. Staring out across the city at the brilliant lights of downtown Gaoxin with a Long Island Iced Tea is a spectacular way to finish off an evening.
I have yet to try every restaurant in Xi’an but I bet you would be hard-pressed to find a better setting for a romantic dinner than B&G 51. As tables are limited and demand is high, you will need to make a reservation before you arrive and you will probably be better off booking a while in advance, especially for special occasions. Dinner at B&G 51 is a must have experience and is sure to make your dinner partner very pleased indeed.
Anthony Cordina never breaks the second rule of Fight Club. He can be reached at reviews@xianease.com