French food in China may seem a bit unusual, but the hotel was built on the site of the French Club and we hoped that the cooking would be inspired by the ghosts of those days. While the menu is not exclusively French (several pasta dishes are included), we all thought the food was excellent, including my French classmate who ate with us!

The restaurant décor is elegant, but the staff was far from stuffy. One of us had planned to stay in, and was dressed very casually, but that didn’t seem to bother anyone. Further evidence of the staff’s customer-friendly attitude went on display as we neared the end of our meal. The couple sitting next to us was clearly celebrating an important event; there was a huge bouquet on the table, and they were dressed very elegantly even for this restaurant. What the event was became clear when a parade of staff members approached the table, with the man in the lead bearing a cake topped with lit candles. On arrival at the table, they burst into an animated version of "Happy Birthday." We joined in the singing. In the US, such displays are usually at casual eateries. Seeing it done in such lovely surroundings, and with such a beautiful cake, was fun.

Our meals were well cooked, and we had a variety of dishes. Appetizers included a pate terrine and a lovely and light chicken soup. Our main courses were elegantly presented: two different steak dishes, a pasta with vegetables and roasted duck. After watching the crepes suzette show at another table, we decided we had to have it ourselves. One of the waiters pulled his cooking cart to our table and began the preparation: decoratively peeling the skin off an orange, juicing it, swirling batter in a buttery pan and, the final touch, flambéing the crepes with a shot of Grand Marnier. They were delicious!

Certainly not the place for everyday dining, but if you are looking for a quiet, elegant place, either to impress someone special (business or pleasure) or to treat yourself to fine French cuisine, the Continental Room is a good place to do so.