Lists are great. Lists about food are even better! Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list "Express opinions and experiences of international restaurant industry experts. What constitutes "best" is left to the judgment of trusted and well-travelled gourmets. The results are a simple computation of votes. Given that this well-constructed list is based on personal experiences it can never be definitive, but it is an honourable survey of current tastes."Much like last year, India makes its presence felt on the list with six entries. Bukhara secures the 27th place and rakes in the title of The S.Pellegrino Best Restaurant in India. It's closely followed by Indian Accent, Dum Pukht and more. The complete list of 2014 winners -
1. Nahm - Bangkok, Thailand
A temple of Thai gastronomy in more ways than one.Nariwasa has also won The Best Restaurant in Thailand.Style of food: Little-known, big-flavour sharing plates drawn from centuries-old Thai cookbooks.
Standout dish: Guinea fowl curry with shampoo ginger and holy basil.2. Narisawa - Tokyo, Japan
Japan's finest restaurant celebrates nature with an added dash of drama.Nariwasa has also won The Best Restaurant in Japan. Style of food: French cooking using Japanese ingredients.
Standout dish: Inori (Prayer)3. Gaggan - Bangkok, Thailand
Indian food reinvented with modernist techniques.Style of food: Indian cuisine with an ultra-modern twist.
Standout dish: Papdi chaat 2050.4. Amber - Hong Kong, China
Where the food may be fundamentally French, but it is also modern and imaginative.Nariwasa has also won The Best Restaurant in China. Style of food: Classical French with subtle Hong Kong influences.
Standout dish: Hokkaido sea urchin in lobster jelly, with cauliflower, caviar and crispy seaweed waffle.5. Nihonryori Ryugin - Tokyo, Japan
Seiji Yamamoto's exquisite food pushes Japanese tradition forward.Style of food: Time-honoured Japanese dishes cooked with contemporary edge.
Standout dish: Sea perch grilled over charcoal and topped with roasted rice and a black vinegar glaze.6. Restaurant André - Singapore
André Chiang brings philosophical food to lifeRestaurant André has also won The Best Restaurant in Singapore.Style of food: Delicate Southern French nouvelle cuisine using ingredients from small, artisanal producers.
Standout dish: Memory - warm foie gras jelly with black truffle coulis.7. Waku Ghin, Singapore
Private and personal dining at Marina Bay Sands.Style of food: Modern Japanese.
Standout dish: Marinated botan shrimps with sea urchin and Oscietre caviar.8. Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet - Shanghai, China
Brilliant multi-sensory dining experience now in its second incarnation.Style of food: Globe-trotting avant-garde.
Standout dish: Chocolate foie gras tartines.9. Lung King Heen - Hong Kong, China
Spectacular views and sophisticated Cantonese cuisine.Style of food: Dim sum and modern Cantonese.
Standout dish: Sautéed lobster with vegetables in fermented bean sauce.10. 8 1/2 Otto E Mezzo Bombana - Hong Kong, China
Chef Bombana turns Italian cuisine into an art form.
Style of food: Contemporary Italian.
Standout dish: 'Fassone' veal tenderloin, fresh porcini mushroom, barley.11. Mr And Mrs Bund - Shanghai, China
Paul Pairet's reinvention of the democratic French bistro.Style of food: High-end contemporary French bistro cooking.
Standout dish: Candied lemon & lemon tart PP.12. Iggy's - Singapore
A Singaporean melting-pot of international flavours.Style of food: Light and fresh with clean Japanese flavours.
Standout dish: Tuna belly, pinot noir, yam, hearts of palm, garlic oil.13. Caprice - Hong Kong, China
Fabulous French fine dining with views to match.Style of food: Modern French.
Standout dish: Langoustine lasagne with veal sweetbreads and chanterelle mushrooms in shellfish bisque.14. Les Amis - Singapore
Les Amis chalks up two decades of excellence.Style of food: Modern European.
Standout dish: Caviar on petals of potato salad with condiments of herbs.15. Bo Innovation - Hong Kong, China
X-treme, exciting but also exquisitely measured Chinese cuisine.Style of food: Experimental Chinese.
Standout dish: Caviar, smoked quail egg, crispy taro.16. Ishikawa - Tokyo, Japan
A Japanese masterclass in simplicity, style and substance.
Style of food: Modern kaiseki.
Standout dish: Spear squid, sesame tofu and mozuku seaweed.17. Jaan - Singapore
French chef Julien Royer's talent outshines even the views.Style of food: Modern French.
Standout dish: 55°C organic egg, smoked rattes, autumn mushrooms, chorizo Iberico and buckwheat.18. L'atelier De Joel Robuchon - Hong Kong, China
Seductive and sumptuous cooking from the Gallic great.Style of food: Modern French.
Standout dish: Crispy langoustine papillote with basil.19. Fook Lam Moon - Hong Kong, China
Classic Cantonese that's a Hong Kong favourite.
Style of food: Cantonese.
Standout dish: Dry-aged Japanese abalone braised in Fook Lam Moon stock.20. Jungsik - Seoul, South Korea
New-wave Korean food triumphs in Seoul.Style of food: New Korean.
Standout dish: Fried oyster.21. Sra Bua By Kiin Kiin - Bangkok, Thailand
Bold modern Thai cuisine from a Danish chef.Style of food: Modern Thai.
Standout dish: Deconstructed tom ka (chicken soup) with pickled mushrooms.22. Quintessence - Tokyo, Japan
Obsessive attention to detail at this ambitious modern French haunt.Style of food: Modern French.
Standout dish: Sea perch two ways served with shredded cabbage.23. Tippling Club - Singapore
Cutting-edge modern cuisine matched with funky cocktails.Style of food: Modern, global, eclectic.
Standout dish: Pigeon, celery, quinoa, goats' curd. 24. Le Moût Restaurant - Taichung, Taiwan
Sophisticated and sensational French fine dining with an eastern accent.
Le Moût has also won The Best Restaurant in Taiwan.Style of food: Modern French.
Standout dish: Pigeon in Oriental fragrance, black truffle barley ragoût and mustard green.25. L'Effervescence - Tokyo, Japan
European gastronomy meets stunning Japanese ingredients.Style of food: Contemporary French with modern gastronomic twists.
Standout dish: A Fixed Point - whole cooked turnip and parsley oil emulsion, Kintoa Basque ham and brioche.26. Fu1015 - Shanghai, China
Refined Shanghainese dishes in an elegant, nostalgic setting.Style of food: Shanghainese.
Standout dish: Marinated hairy crab with yellow rice wine.27. Bukhara - New Delhi, India
Get your hands dirty at this rustic temple to North-West Frontier Indian cuisine.
Style of food: Traditional Indian.
Standout dish: Sikandari raan.28. Bo.Lan - Bangkok, Thailand
Big and bold Thai flavours in Bangkok's exclusive Sukhumvit district.Style of food: Authentic Thai.
Standout dish: Red curry of duck with wintermelon.29. Indian Accent - New Delhi, India
Playful and eclectic Indian cookery with a global hue.Style of food: Modern Indian.
Standout dish: Meetha achaar, Canadian spare ribs.30. Dum Pukht - New Delhi, India
Traditional clay-pot cooking given a fine-dining makeover.
Style of food: Regional Indian, specialising in slow cooking with a clay pot over fire.
Standout dish: Dum Pukht biryani.31. Issaya Siamese Club - Bangkok, Thailand
Modern Thai food in a luxurious Bangkok villa.Style of food: Modern Thai.
Standout dish: Banana blossom and heart of palm salad, crispy shallots and roasted peanuts in chilli jam dressing.32. Varq - New Delhi, India
Luxurious modern Indian food with a global twist.Style of food: Modern Indian.
Standout dish: Varqui khumb (spiced mushrooms on filo pastry)33. 28 Hubin Road - Hangzhou, China
An exploration of Hangzhou's unique regional cuisine.Style of food: Traditional Hangzhou cuisine.
Standout dish: Braised dong po pork with chestnut pancakes.34. Takazawa - Tokyo, Japan
Japanese and French food collide in spectacular fashion.
Style of food: Japanese-French fusion.
Standout dish: Snapper with red radish, radicchio and a beetroot sauce.35. Shinji By Kanesaka - Singapore
Authentic Japanese omakase dining in Singapore.Style of food: Japanese.
Standout dish: Five-hour steamed Hokkaido abalone.36. Wasabi - Mumbai, India
Stylish Japanese cuisine with views to die for.Style of food: Contemporary Japanese.
Standout dish: Black cod miso with pickled red pepper and sweetened kuromame beans.37. Eat Me - Bangkok, Thailand
Exhilarating international flavour combinations.Style of food: Eclectic international.
Standout dish: Foie gras torchon with mango chilli compôte and crispy puffed rice.38. Sukiyabashi Jiro - Tokyo, Japan
Sushi perfection from a grand master.Style of food: Traditional sushi.
Standout dish: Smelt roe sushi.39. Robuchon Au Dôme - Macau, China
High-reaching and high-altitude dining in Macau.Style of food: High-reaching French food with Asian influences.
Standout dish: Braised Iberico pork cheek with aubergine fondant, tomato confit and basil jelly.40. Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck - Singapore
A restaurant dedicated to perfect Peking duck.
Style of food: Chinese.
Standout dish: Peking duck.41. Sawada - Tokyo, Japan
Intense, minimalist sushi experience in Chūō City.
Style of food: Sushi.
Standout dish: Salmon eggs with citrus sauce.42. Hajime - Osaka, Japan
Stunning service and fabulous French food from a philosophical chef.
Style of food: Modern French.
Standout dish: Chikyu (Planet Earth) - up to 110 different vegetables, grains and herbs, arranged around a shellfish foam. 43. Sushi Saito - Tokyo, Japan
One of Tokyo's élite-league sushi restaurants.Style of food: Sushi.
Standout dish: O-toro nigiri.44. Nihonbashi - Colombo, Sri Lanka
Authentic Japanese cuisine in the heart of Colombo.
Nihonbashi has also won The Best Restaurant in Sri Lanka. Style of food: Japanese.
Standout dish: Yet-to-named sashimi.45. Yardbird - Hong Kong, China
Beak-to-tail eating, Japanese style.Style of food: Japanese yakitori.
Standout dish: KFC - Korean fried cauliflower.46. Family Li Imperial Cuisine - Shanghai, China
A culinary glimpse of China's imperial era.Style of food: Über-traditional high-end Chinese.
Standout dish: Fried grouper with soy sauce.47. Sarong - Bali, Indonesia
Eclectic but authentic Asian flavours in laid-back surrounds.Sarong has also won The Best Restaurant in Indonesia. Style of food: Pan-Asian.
Standout dish: Grilled beef rib with peanuts and chilli dressing served with beef broth. 48. Franck Bistro - Shanghai, China
An authentic taste of France in Shanghai.
Style of food: Classic French bistro.
Standout dish: Terrine de campagne - home-made pâté made with duck, pork, chicken liver and spices, served with bread and pickles.49. Karavalli - Bangalore, India
Fragrant coastal cuisine from south-west India.Style of food: Southern Indian.
Standout dish: Pothi choru - ghee rice and chicken curry steamed in a banana leaf.50. Tenku Ryugin - Hong Kong, China
Seiji Yamamoto's first foray overseas lives up to sky-high expectations.Style of food: Traditional but unique kaiseki cuisine.
Standout dish: Minus 196°C candy strawberry with plus-99°C strawberry jam.
Other AwardsLifetime Achievement Award
Ivan Li (Li Xiao Lin), Family Li Imperial CuisineAsia's Best Female Chef 2014
Lanshu Chen, Le Moût Restaurant, TaiwanAsia's Best Pastry Chef 2014
Janice Wong, 2am dessertbar, SingaporeChefs' Choice Award 2014
André Chiang, Restaurant Andre, SingaporeOne To Watch Award
Tenku Ryugin, Hong Kong, ChinaHighest New Entry Award
Jungsik, Seoul, South Korea Highest Climber Award
Fook Lam Moon, Hong Kong, China© All photos and information - Asia's 50 Best Restaurants sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, Singapore, February 2014
1. Nahm - Bangkok, Thailand
A temple of Thai gastronomy in more ways than one.Nariwasa has also won The Best Restaurant in Thailand.Style of food: Little-known, big-flavour sharing plates drawn from centuries-old Thai cookbooks.
Standout dish: Guinea fowl curry with shampoo ginger and holy basil.2. Narisawa - Tokyo, Japan
Japan's finest restaurant celebrates nature with an added dash of drama.Nariwasa has also won The Best Restaurant in Japan. Style of food: French cooking using Japanese ingredients.
Standout dish: Inori (Prayer)3. Gaggan - Bangkok, Thailand
Indian food reinvented with modernist techniques.Style of food: Indian cuisine with an ultra-modern twist.
Standout dish: Papdi chaat 2050.4. Amber - Hong Kong, China
Where the food may be fundamentally French, but it is also modern and imaginative.Nariwasa has also won The Best Restaurant in China. Style of food: Classical French with subtle Hong Kong influences.
Standout dish: Hokkaido sea urchin in lobster jelly, with cauliflower, caviar and crispy seaweed waffle.5. Nihonryori Ryugin - Tokyo, Japan
Seiji Yamamoto's exquisite food pushes Japanese tradition forward.Style of food: Time-honoured Japanese dishes cooked with contemporary edge.
Standout dish: Sea perch grilled over charcoal and topped with roasted rice and a black vinegar glaze.6. Restaurant André - Singapore
André Chiang brings philosophical food to lifeRestaurant André has also won The Best Restaurant in Singapore.Style of food: Delicate Southern French nouvelle cuisine using ingredients from small, artisanal producers.
Standout dish: Memory - warm foie gras jelly with black truffle coulis.7. Waku Ghin, Singapore
Private and personal dining at Marina Bay Sands.Style of food: Modern Japanese.
Standout dish: Marinated botan shrimps with sea urchin and Oscietre caviar.8. Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet - Shanghai, China
Brilliant multi-sensory dining experience now in its second incarnation.Style of food: Globe-trotting avant-garde.
Standout dish: Chocolate foie gras tartines.9. Lung King Heen - Hong Kong, China
Spectacular views and sophisticated Cantonese cuisine.Style of food: Dim sum and modern Cantonese.
Standout dish: Sautéed lobster with vegetables in fermented bean sauce.10. 8 1/2 Otto E Mezzo Bombana - Hong Kong, China
Chef Bombana turns Italian cuisine into an art form.
Style of food: Contemporary Italian.
Standout dish: 'Fassone' veal tenderloin, fresh porcini mushroom, barley.11. Mr And Mrs Bund - Shanghai, China
Paul Pairet's reinvention of the democratic French bistro.Style of food: High-end contemporary French bistro cooking.
Standout dish: Candied lemon & lemon tart PP.12. Iggy's - Singapore
A Singaporean melting-pot of international flavours.Style of food: Light and fresh with clean Japanese flavours.
Standout dish: Tuna belly, pinot noir, yam, hearts of palm, garlic oil.13. Caprice - Hong Kong, China
Fabulous French fine dining with views to match.Style of food: Modern French.
Standout dish: Langoustine lasagne with veal sweetbreads and chanterelle mushrooms in shellfish bisque.14. Les Amis - Singapore
Les Amis chalks up two decades of excellence.Style of food: Modern European.
Standout dish: Caviar on petals of potato salad with condiments of herbs.15. Bo Innovation - Hong Kong, China
X-treme, exciting but also exquisitely measured Chinese cuisine.Style of food: Experimental Chinese.
Standout dish: Caviar, smoked quail egg, crispy taro.16. Ishikawa - Tokyo, Japan
A Japanese masterclass in simplicity, style and substance.
Style of food: Modern kaiseki.
Standout dish: Spear squid, sesame tofu and mozuku seaweed.17. Jaan - Singapore
French chef Julien Royer's talent outshines even the views.Style of food: Modern French.
Standout dish: 55°C organic egg, smoked rattes, autumn mushrooms, chorizo Iberico and buckwheat.18. L'atelier De Joel Robuchon - Hong Kong, China
Seductive and sumptuous cooking from the Gallic great.Style of food: Modern French.
Standout dish: Crispy langoustine papillote with basil.19. Fook Lam Moon - Hong Kong, China
Classic Cantonese that's a Hong Kong favourite.
Style of food: Cantonese.
Standout dish: Dry-aged Japanese abalone braised in Fook Lam Moon stock.20. Jungsik - Seoul, South Korea
New-wave Korean food triumphs in Seoul.Style of food: New Korean.
Standout dish: Fried oyster.21. Sra Bua By Kiin Kiin - Bangkok, Thailand
Bold modern Thai cuisine from a Danish chef.Style of food: Modern Thai.
Standout dish: Deconstructed tom ka (chicken soup) with pickled mushrooms.22. Quintessence - Tokyo, Japan
Obsessive attention to detail at this ambitious modern French haunt.Style of food: Modern French.
Standout dish: Sea perch two ways served with shredded cabbage.23. Tippling Club - Singapore
Cutting-edge modern cuisine matched with funky cocktails.Style of food: Modern, global, eclectic.
Standout dish: Pigeon, celery, quinoa, goats' curd. 24. Le Moût Restaurant - Taichung, Taiwan
Sophisticated and sensational French fine dining with an eastern accent.
Le Moût has also won The Best Restaurant in Taiwan.Style of food: Modern French.
Standout dish: Pigeon in Oriental fragrance, black truffle barley ragoût and mustard green.25. L'Effervescence - Tokyo, Japan
European gastronomy meets stunning Japanese ingredients.Style of food: Contemporary French with modern gastronomic twists.
Standout dish: A Fixed Point - whole cooked turnip and parsley oil emulsion, Kintoa Basque ham and brioche.26. Fu1015 - Shanghai, China
Refined Shanghainese dishes in an elegant, nostalgic setting.Style of food: Shanghainese.
Standout dish: Marinated hairy crab with yellow rice wine.27. Bukhara - New Delhi, India
Get your hands dirty at this rustic temple to North-West Frontier Indian cuisine.
Bukhara has also won the Best Restaurant in India.
Style of food: Traditional Indian.
Standout dish: Sikandari raan.28. Bo.Lan - Bangkok, Thailand
Big and bold Thai flavours in Bangkok's exclusive Sukhumvit district.Style of food: Authentic Thai.
Standout dish: Red curry of duck with wintermelon.29. Indian Accent - New Delhi, India
Playful and eclectic Indian cookery with a global hue.Style of food: Modern Indian.
Standout dish: Meetha achaar, Canadian spare ribs.30. Dum Pukht - New Delhi, India
Traditional clay-pot cooking given a fine-dining makeover.
Style of food: Regional Indian, specialising in slow cooking with a clay pot over fire.
Standout dish: Dum Pukht biryani.31. Issaya Siamese Club - Bangkok, Thailand
Modern Thai food in a luxurious Bangkok villa.Style of food: Modern Thai.
Standout dish: Banana blossom and heart of palm salad, crispy shallots and roasted peanuts in chilli jam dressing.32. Varq - New Delhi, India
Luxurious modern Indian food with a global twist.Style of food: Modern Indian.
Standout dish: Varqui khumb (spiced mushrooms on filo pastry)33. 28 Hubin Road - Hangzhou, China
An exploration of Hangzhou's unique regional cuisine.Style of food: Traditional Hangzhou cuisine.
Standout dish: Braised dong po pork with chestnut pancakes.34. Takazawa - Tokyo, Japan
Japanese and French food collide in spectacular fashion.
Style of food: Japanese-French fusion.
Standout dish: Snapper with red radish, radicchio and a beetroot sauce.35. Shinji By Kanesaka - Singapore
Authentic Japanese omakase dining in Singapore.Style of food: Japanese.
Standout dish: Five-hour steamed Hokkaido abalone.36. Wasabi - Mumbai, India
Stylish Japanese cuisine with views to die for.Style of food: Contemporary Japanese.
Standout dish: Black cod miso with pickled red pepper and sweetened kuromame beans.37. Eat Me - Bangkok, Thailand
Exhilarating international flavour combinations.Style of food: Eclectic international.
Standout dish: Foie gras torchon with mango chilli compôte and crispy puffed rice.38. Sukiyabashi Jiro - Tokyo, Japan
Sushi perfection from a grand master.Style of food: Traditional sushi.
Standout dish: Smelt roe sushi.39. Robuchon Au Dôme - Macau, China
High-reaching and high-altitude dining in Macau.Style of food: High-reaching French food with Asian influences.
Standout dish: Braised Iberico pork cheek with aubergine fondant, tomato confit and basil jelly.40. Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck - Singapore
A restaurant dedicated to perfect Peking duck.
Style of food: Chinese.
Standout dish: Peking duck.41. Sawada - Tokyo, Japan
Intense, minimalist sushi experience in Chūō City.
Style of food: Sushi.
Standout dish: Salmon eggs with citrus sauce.42. Hajime - Osaka, Japan
Stunning service and fabulous French food from a philosophical chef.
Style of food: Modern French.
Standout dish: Chikyu (Planet Earth) - up to 110 different vegetables, grains and herbs, arranged around a shellfish foam. 43. Sushi Saito - Tokyo, Japan
One of Tokyo's élite-league sushi restaurants.Style of food: Sushi.
Standout dish: O-toro nigiri.44. Nihonbashi - Colombo, Sri Lanka
Authentic Japanese cuisine in the heart of Colombo.
Nihonbashi has also won The Best Restaurant in Sri Lanka. Style of food: Japanese.
Standout dish: Yet-to-named sashimi.45. Yardbird - Hong Kong, China
Beak-to-tail eating, Japanese style.Style of food: Japanese yakitori.
Standout dish: KFC - Korean fried cauliflower.46. Family Li Imperial Cuisine - Shanghai, China
A culinary glimpse of China's imperial era.Style of food: Über-traditional high-end Chinese.
Standout dish: Fried grouper with soy sauce.47. Sarong - Bali, Indonesia
Eclectic but authentic Asian flavours in laid-back surrounds.Sarong has also won The Best Restaurant in Indonesia. Style of food: Pan-Asian.
Standout dish: Grilled beef rib with peanuts and chilli dressing served with beef broth. 48. Franck Bistro - Shanghai, China
An authentic taste of France in Shanghai.
Style of food: Classic French bistro.
Standout dish: Terrine de campagne - home-made pâté made with duck, pork, chicken liver and spices, served with bread and pickles.49. Karavalli - Bangalore, India
Fragrant coastal cuisine from south-west India.Style of food: Southern Indian.
Standout dish: Pothi choru - ghee rice and chicken curry steamed in a banana leaf.50. Tenku Ryugin - Hong Kong, China
Seiji Yamamoto's first foray overseas lives up to sky-high expectations.Style of food: Traditional but unique kaiseki cuisine.
Standout dish: Minus 196°C candy strawberry with plus-99°C strawberry jam.
All Winners at Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2014
Other AwardsLifetime Achievement Award
Ivan Li (Li Xiao Lin), Family Li Imperial CuisineAsia's Best Female Chef 2014
Lanshu Chen, Le Moût Restaurant, TaiwanAsia's Best Pastry Chef 2014
Janice Wong, 2am dessertbar, SingaporeChefs' Choice Award 2014
André Chiang, Restaurant Andre, SingaporeOne To Watch Award
Tenku Ryugin, Hong Kong, ChinaHighest New Entry Award
Jungsik, Seoul, South Korea Highest Climber Award
Fook Lam Moon, Hong Kong, China© All photos and information - Asia's 50 Best Restaurants sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, Singapore, February 2014
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