The 50 Best Restaurants In Asia 2014 List Revealed And Bangkok Is On Top
The World's 50 Best Restaurants isn't just another listicle from a content puppy mill du jour, but a full-on statement from an authority in the restaurant world, Restaurant magazine, sponsored by bottled water companies San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna. OK, the whole thing is complicated, but it's what we've got and what the industry observes as the biggest awards around. When the big list is revealed every June in London, it's pretty much the most important day in high-end dining (like if the Michelin Guide released all their rankings at once or James Beard wasn't affraid of flying). You've heard how Noma is called the "world's best restaurant"? That's because they've landed on the top of the World's 50 Best list several times.
In a ceremony earlier today in Singapore, the list for the Top 50 Restaurants in Asia was revealed and, as expected, there were some surprises (as any BEST IN THE WORLD lists will tend to produce). Bangkok chef David Thompson locked the #1 position for his restaurant, Nahm. Thompson, born in Australia, is widely considered the father of modern Thai cooking and was previously the first chef to be awarded a Michelin star for Thai cooking in Europe.
Another Bangkok chef, Gaggan Anand, earned the third spot for his adventurous, cerebral take on Indian cuisine at Gaggan. Like in previous years, Tokyo (#2 Narisawa; #5 Nihonryori Ryugin) and Hong Kong (#4 Amber; #10 8 1/2 Otto E Mezzo Bombana) took several of the top honors. South Korea earned its first spot ever in the rankings with Jungsik Yim's namesake Seoul restaurant, while traditional Japanese restaurant Nihonbashi, run by chef Dharshan Munidasa, put Sri Lanka on the world stage.
Below is the complete list of the top 50 restaurants, which grades restaurants in the following countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Maldives, Micronesia, Nauru, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.
1. NAHM | Bangkok, Thailand
2. NARISAWA | Tokyo, Japan
3. GAGGAN |Bangkok, Thailand
4. AMBER | Hong Kong, China
5. NIHONRYORI RYUGIN | Tokyo, Japan
6. RESTAURANT ANDRÉ | Singapore
7. WAKU GHIN | Singapore
8. ULTRAVIOLET BY PAUL PAIRET | Shanghai, China
9. LUNG KING HEEN | Hong Kong, China
10. 8 1/2 OTTO E MEZZO BOMBANA | Hong Kong, China
11. MR AND MRS BUND | Shanghai, China
12. IGGY'S | Singapore
13.CAPRICE | Hong Kong, China
14.LES AMIS | Singapore
15. BO INNOVATION | Hong Kong, China
16. ISHIKAWA | Tokyo, Japan
17. JAAN | Singapore
18. L'ATELIER DE JOEL ROBUCHON | Hong Kong, China
19. FOOK LAM MOON | Hong Kong, China
20. JUNGSIK | Seoul, South Korea
21. SRA BUA BY KIIN KIIN | Bangkok, Thailand
22. QUINTESSENCE | Tokyo, Japan
23. TIPPLING CLUB | Singapore
24. LE MOÛT RESTAURANT | Taichung, Taiwan
25. L'EFFERVESCENCE | Tokyo, Japan
26. FU1015 | Shanghai, China
27. BUKHARA | New Delhi, India
28. BO.LAN | Bangkok, Thailand
29. INDIAN ACCENT | New Delhi, India
30. DUM PUKHT | New Delhi, India
31. ISSAYA SIAMESE CLUB | Bangkok, Thailand
32. VARQ | New Delhi, India
33. 28 HUBIN ROAD | Hangzhou, China
34. TAKAZAWA | Tokyo, Japan
35. SHINJI BY KANESAKA | Singapore
36. WASABI | Mumbai, India
37 EAT ME | Bangkok, Thailand
38. SUKIYABASHI JIRO | Tokyo, Japan
39. ROBUCHON AU DÔME | Macau, China
40. IMPERIAL TREASURE SUPER PEKING DUCK | Singapore
41. SAWADA | Tokyo, Japan
42. HAJIME | Osaka, Japan
43. SUSHI SAITO | Tokyo, Japan
44. NIHONBASHI | Colombo, Sri Lanka
45. YARDBIRD | Hong Kong, China
46. FAMILY LI IMPERIAL CUISINE | Shanghai, China
47. SARONG | Bali, Indonesia
48. FRANCK BISTRO | Shanghai, China
49. KARAVALLI | Bangalore, India
50. TENKU RYUGIN | Hong Kong, China