Here,
we break it down by region, calling out favorites across Asia. (And the soup
dumplings to end all soup dumplings...)
Ishikawa's kaiseki meals "rarely hit a false note." Photo: Courtesy Ishikawa
CHINA
Duck de Chine,
Beijing
“My
go-to place for Beijing duck. They’re crisped in ovens using date wood to
enhance the flavor.” Justin Bergman,
Shanghai correspondent for Monocle
Yu Zhi Lan, Chengdu
“Try
the free-range duck egg-yolk noodles, hand cut and served in a soup with two
slices of truffle and baby bok choy. Reservations are a must.” Justin Bergman
The Chairman, Hong
Kong
“Call
ahead to reserve the steamed crab set atop fresh, wide rice noodles in a sauce
of aged Shaoxing wine and chicken oil.” Bill
Addison, restaurant editor at Eater.com
Lung King Heen, Hong
Kong
“The
best dim sum in the world. Get a double order of the BBQ pork buns.” Deana Saukam, food writer
At Rōnin in Hong Kong, the menu changes daily - but you know dishes will always be "raw," "smaller," or "bigger." Photo: Courtesy Rōnin
Rōnin, Hong Kong
“From
Matt Abergel and Lindsay Jang, the duo behind Yardbird, comes the
nearly-impossible-to-find 24-seater. Your reward is some of the most inventive
Japanese-inspired seafood menus around: flower crab with a sliver of uni, sea
bream karaage (deep fried) with pickled jalapeño tosazu, saba (mackerel)
sashimi uncommonly paired with persimmons, and the super-tender Kagoshima beef
with mushroom that’s served with egg yolk, to name a few. While the menu
changes daily, the organizing principle - ‘raw,’ ‘smaller,’ and ‘bigger’ - remains
the same.” Pilar Guzmán, editor in chief
Tim Ho Wan, Hong Kong
“The
baked buns with barbecued pork and steamed egg cake are to die for.” Justin Bergman
INDIA
Bombay Canteen,
Mumbai
“Amazing
vibe, some of the best Indian/fusion food I’ve ever had.” Sarah Khan, food and travel writer
Bukhara, New Delhi
“We
love that nothing about this place—the decor, the yogurt and cane-vinegar
marinated barrah kebab (leg of lamb)—has changed in 30 years. The result is the
most masterful North-West Frontier tandoor-style cooking imaginable. Best of
all, you eat everything with your hands.” Pilar
Guzmán
Indian Accent, New
Delhi
“Unquestionably
the best restaurant in New Delhi, thanks to the baingan bharta, a classic
Punjabi eggplant dish served inside a cornetto cone made with sun-dried tomato.
Dinner reservations are tough—go for a weekday lunch.” Justin Bergman
JAPAN
Takotsubo, Hiroshima
“The
freshest seafood from the Seto Inland Sea. My order is different every time,
depending on what the chef recommends. Trust him.” Masaharu Morimoto, chef and TV personality
Otomezushi, Kanazawa
“You’ll
get a tour of Toyama Bay and beyond: four species of ebi; deep-sea bream,
crunchy and sweet; raw firefly squid; plus a duo of anago and unagi. It’s a
meal you’ll never forget.” Luke Burgess,
former chef at Garagistes in Hobart, Australia
Aronia de Takazawa,
Tokyo
“This
four-table tasting-menu restaurant pushes the boundaries of Japanese cooking.
You’re at the mercy of the chef, but that is a great thing. Book far in
advance.” Grant Achatz, chef/co-owner of
Alinea in Chicago
Eatrip, Tokyo
“This
place is an island of warmth in Tokyo.” Sam
White, co-owner of Ramen Shop in Oakland, California
Ishikawa, Tokyo
“The
kaiseki meals are perfectly assembled, multi-course progressions that rarely
hit a false note.” Gabe Ulla, food writer
Jimbocho Den, Tokyo
"To
sit at Den’s eight-seat counter is to dive headlong into an eight- to
ten-course improv comedy show, as 38-year-old chef Zaiyu Hasegawa and his crew
trot out surprise after kooky surprise. There’s the grinning bobblehead of
Zaiyu-san on the counter, the carrots carved into smiley faces hiding in the
salad greens, and the goofy homage to KFC (delivered in a box marked “Den-tucky
Fried Chicken”): Inside, what looks like a normal fried chicken wing is stuffed
with a mix of sticky rice, potatoes, or beans and with seasonal ingredients
such as mushrooms and ume plum." Peter
Jon Lindberg, contributing editor
To sit at Jimbocho Den’s eight-seat counter is to dive headlong into an eight- to ten-course improv comedy show. Photo: Courtesy Jimbocho Den
Kadowaki, Tokyo
“I
loved the abalone with fish - liver soy sauce - the ideal combination of
briny-fresh seafood and umami.” Dominique
Ansel, baker
Katsukura, Tokyo
“Get
the tonkatsu, or fried pork cutlet. The panko crust is light and crisp, the
pork juicy and rich.” Mitchell Davis,
executive vice president of the James Beard Foundation
Kyubey, Tokyo
“The
fish is insanely fresh, and the attention to detail is remarkable. The omakase
is downright perfect.” Jose Garces,
chef/owner of Amada, Distrito, Tinto, and others in Philadelphia
L’Effervescence,
Tokyo
“A
feeling of calm washes over you the moment you walk into this beautiful dining
room. Don’t miss the tableside tea service. It’s exquisite.” Sean Brock, chef/co-owner of Husk and
McCrady’s in Charleston
Mikawa Zezankyo,
Tokyo
“I
remember eating battered and fried uni wrapped in shiso leaf and never wanting
it to end.” Gabe Ulla
Sukiyabashi Jiro,
Tokyo
"It's
the best sushi in the world. Come hungry—Jiro serves his nigiri one right after
the other, so each piece is super fresh and the perfect temperature. To get a
reservation, have a friend who speaks Japanese call months in advance." Deana Saukam
Sushi Saito, Tokyo
“One
of the greatest sushi omakases in the world.” Ken Oringer, chef/co-owner of Uni, Toro, and Coppa in Boston
Sushi Sho, Tokyo
“The
most extraordinary omakase sushi meal no one can find.” Gail Simmons, author, special projects director for Food & Wine,
and judge on Bravo’s Top Chef
SushiYa, Tokyo
"Hidden
in an alley off another alley in Ginza, SushiYa (literally “Sushi Shop”) looks
like your typical sushi den but the fish—good God, the fish! Otoro tuna as
fatty and luscious as a slab of pancetta. Bonito smoked over straw. Hokkaido
ikura, perked up with yuzu zest. Right now, this is the best in town." Peter Jon Lindberg
THE PHILIPPINES
Your Local, Makati
“I
still dream of the pomelo salad with shrimp, winged beans, wild rocket, yuzu,
nam jim, pickled quail eggs, and Thai coconut ‘ice cream.” Ashlea Halpern, contributing editor
SINGAPORE
Burnt Ends
“Sit
at the bar and watch them break down a whole side of beef, then roast it in a
1,000-degree wood-fired oven or grill it over coals.” Peter Jon Lindberg
Restaurant André
“French
technique, Asian influences, and seamless service.” Tim Ryan, president of The Culinary Institute of America
Sin Huat Eating House
“A
sweltering dump open to the street and the prostitutes of Geylang. The chef
wears shorts, a grotty T-shirt, and rubber wellies. It’s also delicious. Get
the crab bee hoon on rice vermicelli.” Anthony
Bourdain, chef, writer, and TV personality
SOUTH KOREA
Mingles, Seoul
“The
modern restaurant movement has arrived in Seoul, and Mingoo Kang is its
leader.” Matt Rodbard, food editor/writer
TAIWAN
Din Tai Fung, Taipei
“The
best soup dumplings in the world.” Deana
Saukam
THAILAND
Nahm, Bangkok
“Eye-rolling
deliciousness.” Myffy Rigby, editor of
Fairfax Media’s Good Food Guides
“Powerful,
pungent, and mouth-scorchingly hot.” David
Prior, contributing editor
“Stratospheric.”
Andy Ricker, chef/owner of Pok Pok
Restaurants
“Impressively
complex.” Mitchell Davis
VIETNAM
Cục Gạch Quán, Ho Chi
Minh City
“Traditional
Vietnamese served in an elegant setting—a rarity here, since the best authentic
food is usually dished out in dives with plastic tables.” Peter Jon Lindberg
By CNTraveler