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Today at 12:00 HKT, global restaurant ranking system Opinionated About Dining (OAD) revealed the Top 100+ Asia Restaurants of 2021, as voted by an expert membership of the world’s most discerning palates and trusted connoisseurs. This year, a new category for Top 100+ Casual Asia Restaurants of 2021 has been added to bring a new range of casual and budget-friendly contenders for the judges’ consideration.
For the full list of the Top 100+ Asia Restaurants 2021 list, please click here. For the full list of the Top 100+ Asia Casual Restaurants 2021 list, please click here.
Topping the coveted list of the region’s highest-rated culinary contenders in 1st place for the third year running is Ultra-Violet by Paul Pairet, a single-table experimental restaurant in Shanghai, China, that unites creative cuisine with multi-sensory technology. The immersive dining experience is the first of its kind anywhere in the world, and since opening in 2012, French chef Pairet has continually challenged diners’ preconceived notions of taste and cuisine.
Continuing its rise on the list in 2nd place is Zén – Frantzen by feted Swedish chef Bjorn Frantzen, which is led by Executive Chef Tristan Farmer in Singapore. Occupying a three-story shophouse on Bukit Pasoh Road, the restaurant serves modern creative Nordic cuisine inspired by Japanese kaiseki, sourcing premium regional produce from the likes of Japan and organic farms in Hong Kong.
In 3rd place is Sorn by Supaksorn “Ice” Jongsiri in Bangkok, Thailand. Set within an old, reconstructed house, the sophisticated cuisine at Sorn is inspired by the chef’s southern Thai upbringing, fusing vibrant native ingredients with the revival of long-lost recipes and techniques.
With a legacy of over 20 years, the highly celebrated Xin Rong Ji in Shanghai, China breaks the top 5 list at 4th place. Located within a secluded heritage mansion on Nanyang Road, Xin Rong Ji famously serves a wide range of traditional Chinese regional dishes with a focus on seafood.
In 5th place is Mosu, the contemporary Korean fine dining restaurant by Sung Anh taking Seoul by storm. The chef prides himself on highlighting the subtle nuances of seasonal produce, with a notable signature dish being a single crisp piece of dehydrated burdock bark brushed with syrup.
Set at the breathtaking pinnacle of Grand Lisboa Hotel in Macau, French gastronomic institution, Robuchon Au Dôme by Julien Tongourian claims the 6th ranking on this year’s OAD Asia Top 100+ list. The late Joël Robuchon’s Macau outpost boasts quintessential French fine dining and one of the best wine menus in Asia.
Other key restaurants that top the list of OAD’s Top 100+ Asia Restaurants 2021 include Jade Dragon led by Kelvin Au-Yeung (#7) in Hong Kong, The Chairman led by Kwok Keung Tung (#8) in Hong Kong, Seventh Son Restaurant led by Chiu Wai-Kwan (#9) in Hong Kong, and The Eight led by Joseph Tse (#10) in Macau.
From new category OAD Top 100+ Casual Asia Restaurants of 2021, Sungei Road Laksa in Singapore crowns the inaugural list at 1st place. This old-school hawker cart at Jalan Berseh dishes up traditional Peranakan cuisine, and is best known for its indulgent Katong-style laksa served only with a spoon.
2nd on the list is Soei Restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand, a popular Thai casual dining establishment with a focus on seafood. Its most famous dish is fried mackerel cheeks, deep-fried till light and crispy and seasoned with salt and fried garlic.
Coming in 3rd place is Baan Ice in Bangkok, Thailand, a small home-style southern Thai restaurant known for its unabashed use of fiery spices and herbal-infused flavors. The owners are also the same masterminds behind Sorn, the highly acclaimed Southern Thai fine dining restaurant also in Bangkok.
“Opinionated About Dining works a little differently from other restaurant award schemes. Understanding that not all opinions are made the same, we add further factors such as reviewer level for increased accuracy in compiling the final results,” says founder Steve Plotnicki. “I would like to congratulate the chefs and restaurants that have been chosen for this year’s Top 100+ Asia 2021 list, and likewise, look forward to all the great culinary experiences this new year will bring.”
Tune in to the 2021 OAD Top European Restaurant Awards Livestream on 15th June
The 2021 OAD Top European Restaurant Awards will be announced on 15th June, 2021, and live streamed at the following times, according to where you are in the world: Continental Europe 18:00, UK 17:00, U.S. East Coast 12:00, U.S. West Coast 9:00, Hong Kong 0:00, Japan 01:00.
Register to join the livestream at https://oad.live/2021, which will be led by Opinionated About Dining founder Steve Plotnicki, and feature guest presenters such as Elena Arzak, Jeremy Chan, Ana Ros, Beau Clugston, Barbara Eselbock and Massimilano Alajmo, who will help count down the Top 150 restaurants on the continent.
About Opinionated About Dining & Founder Steve Plotnicki
Opinionated About Dining is the only restaurant ranking system that determines the experience level of 6,000 voters contributing reviews to the site. Each member is assigned a “weight” that reflects the number of restaurants he or she has visited, as well as those restaurants’ official rank on the OAD list. With the belief that experienced opinions generate more accurate conclusions, OAD will give more weight to those believed to have a higher level of knowledge and expertise when tabulating results.
Steve Plotnicki, one of the most prolific voices in the global restaurant community, founded his restaurant blog in 2003 as a platform through which to share his global dining experiences. This rapidly grew into a community of like-minded food enthusiasts and in 2007, he launched his first formal survey; inviting readers to recommend establishments both prolific and undiscovered. The published results were well-regarded and Plotnicki has since shared the recommendations from his community annually. By 2013 the lists were so popular that Plotnicki hosted a collaboration supper to announce the results and celebrate these talented chefs. Previous inclusions to the list range from globally acclaimed Alain Passard, Rene Redzepi and Albert Adria to rising stars James Knappett and Merlin Labron-Johnson.
About Opinionated About Dining:
Each year, OAD shares lists of the top restaurants within various global regions, as voted for by the website’s knowledgeable reviewers. Based on reviews by over 6,000 voters, the list is the only global restaurant guide that considers a diner’s gastronomic background and restaurant reviewing experience, as well as the quality of restaurants they visit, when tabulating the results.
Source: Opinionated About Dining (OAD)
