Attention all foodies! It’s time to get creative and start planning your accommodation choices around everyone’s favourite topic of conversation in Asia – food! We’ve come up with the ultimate foodie bucket list for stays in some of the world’s most luxurious hotels. Be it crab bisque poured straight into your bowl in Hong Kong or a laidback meal in a boutique hotel in the middle of a Sri Lankan tea plantation – whatever your preference, these restaurants will not fail to WOW you!
The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Francais – Franschhoek, South Africa
It’s impossible to pick out a favourite dish from Chef Margot Janse’s adventurous, African-inspired menu as it is changed every day. Presented as five or eight courses, be prepared to be surprised, exhilarated and most certainly filled up by an evening at this iconic restaurant. With the perfect balance between friendly and professional service and an outstanding use of local ingredients, you will enjoy a journey through Africa – think venison, waterblommetjies, buchu and baobab, and many other unpronounceable yet unrivalled dishes! If it happens to be on the menu during your visit, definitely try the coconut dome with honeybush, baobab and caramel – truly superb.
Table No.1 at The Waterhouse – Shanghai, China
Table No. 1 is the first independent restaurant by Michelin-starred chef James Atherton who used to work under Gordon Ramsay’s Maze in London. The aim here is to merge world-class food with a more casual, sociable dining experience, making it the perfect place to dine with friends on a communal table. We recommend going here for a tapas-style dinner as the décor is quite harsh by day but stunningly romantic by night. Kick off with a good Dirty Lychee Martini followed by the beautifully presented Tuna Tartar and Avocado starter. The juicy and generous-sized Beef Sirloin is a must, served with a pile of smoked spring onions on a wooden board and complete with a perfectly charred exterior.
Nahm at the Metropolitan Bangkok
Nahm at the Metropolitan Bangkok – Bangkok, Thailand
Run by Australian-born chef David Thompson, this is an authentic and modern Thai restaurant in the heart of Bangkok – no fusion fuss, just true and tasty Asian food. With its fashionably cool and calm interior, Nahm is not as touristy as one might expect, but retains a certain celebrity feel. Go for the set menu – you get heaps of rice with lots of fancy-looking and incredibly tasty dishes, and you can ask for as much (or as little!) spice as you can handle. They have great combos of fish, meat and vegetables, very Asian desserts (sago sago, durian and sticky rice to name a few), and to top it off, the staff know what they’re doing and their dishes inside out – always a huge benefit when at a new restaurant and trying to figure out what to order!
Sala Mae Rim at Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai – Chiang Mai, Thailand
Looking out over the paddy fields, lunch at Sala Mae Rim is rich with flavours and a truly authentic Thai experience. If you’re too indecisive to pick out your actual dishes as we were, go for the Royal Thai Set Menu. Sets are served ‘tapas’ style in small tasting dishes with delicate flavours that really accentuate the traditional Thai flavours. The starter was outstandingly presented, arriving on a stand with four intricately prepared little dishes. The fried marinated shrimps wrapped with egg noodles were perfectly complimented by the betel leaf parcels – a great way to get the taste buds buzzing before the start of the meal!
COMO Shambhala
COMO Shambhala – Bali, Indonesia
At COMO Shambhala’s uber-healthy restaurant Glow, the eclectic menu serves the freshest of Asian ingredients with an Aussie flare that Head Chef Chris Miller brings to the table. Mirroring COMO’s philosophy of nurturing your body, the menu has an emphasis on gluten free and low-sugar dishes. But don’t worry about leaving hungry, this restaurant has healthy yet filling cuisine down to a tee. The menu can be tailored to suit your nutritional needs, and with its open kitchen policy, you can watch your delicious soba noodles or spicy lemon dressings being whipped up right in front of you. A favourite is the Zucchini Carpaccio with Crab – it’s totally fresh and keeps your sugars in balance for the rest of the day.
Café Gray at the Upper House – Hong Kong
With an unbeatable view across Hong Kong harbor, it is obvious on entry that the crowd here is genuinely having a good time. The food is excellent, service some of the best in the city, and even if you’re not hungry, the salivating will begin once the open kitchens’ incredibly enticing aromas hit! The crab bisque is one of our favourite starters – rich, creamy and poured piping hot from a sterling silver teapot into your bowl. The coq au vin is also exquisite, and don’t forget to end the evening with a digestif overlooking Hong Kong’s iconic harbour in the renowned Cafe Gray Bar.
Appellation at The Louise
Appellation at The Louise – Barossa Valley, Australia
The cuisine at Appellation unashamedly reflects the local growing seasons as Head Chef Mark McNamara heads to Barossa farmer’s market daily to pick up provisions for that evening. Renowned for his passion and genuine enjoyment at mingling with his diners, this is a family-run affair and his children and wife are all involved. The food is specially designed around the local Penfold’s wines and the waiter will ask you, genuinely, if you would like your freshly collected rainwater still or sparkling! The food is all so outstanding that to pick one dish would be rude, so we leave it to Mark to help you decide upon arrival!
The Dining Pavilion at Kahanda Kanda – Koggala, Sri Lanka
Using only the freshest ingredients picked from their own gardens, the chef produces simple, fusion dishes as well as classic Sri Lankan ones. Despite its excellent food, the setting is what has earned it a place in this international Hall of Fame. Set in an ambalama (rest pavilion) within a tea plantation, it looks down over the jungle towards Koggala Lake. And of course there’s George Cooper, the hotel owner and fantastic host, who is quite a character both in Sri Lanka and in the London interior design world. He makes you feel like a personal friend, has impeccable taste and a knack for predicting your needs before you do.
Dedon Island
Dedon Island – Siargao Island, Philippines
Nestled amongst cabanas in this treasure island-style resort, the restaurant at Dedon Island is low-key, rustic and impeccably attended to. Brian the chef serves up food family-style – the day’s menu is posted on a chalk board in the restaurant, and is shared by the whole family. The lobster and tuna steak are to die for, and Brian’s western take on Filipino Chicken Adobo is rightly a favourite. Using herbs and meat from their farm and gardens, there’s a strong self-sufficiency vibe (they even make their own ice cream!). Lastly, don’t forget to sit back and soak up your pristine surroundings as you dine – a forest of mangroves on one side and the ocean on the other.
Kamimura at Shiki Niseko – Niseko, Japan
The degustation course at Kamimura is by far the best fine-dining establishment in Niseko (although bear in mind it isn’t necessarily the greatest idea for ravenous boys fresh off the slopes – there’s a chance they may still be hungry afterwards!). Kamimura has a very intimate setting with only a handful of tables – booking is essential. A favourite of ours was the seared Hokkaido scallop with kaibashira cream. Seared to perfection and melting in our mouths, knowing that the little morsel was in the sea less than 24 hours earlier made it that much more delicious.
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Top Image: Sala Mae Rim at Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai