Time for a review of 2019. This was the first full year documented in the blog. It is very hard to boil down an year of eating in a top 10 list, but here’s what I enjoyed the most (I am only considering the food… not the occasion or other diners involved).
- Anan Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City): I had two experiences with Anan Saigon: their extravagant banh mi and the chef’s tasting menu. It is truly one of the most interesting restaurants in Vietnam re-inventing traditional dishes with top-notch ingredients and in a tasteful manner.
- Fu He Hui (Shanghai): a strictly vegan restaurant using ingredients from around China, it is the best fine-dining incarnation of the Chinese vegetarian tradition I have tried so far.
- Goh (Fukuoka): dining on works of arts was the impression left by Goh in Fukuoka where French and Japanese traditions fused seamlessly.
- Nabeno ISN (Tokyo): a French restaurant with Japanese sensibilities, it was another superb example of innovation and tradition living together.
- Blackitch (Chiang Mai): another course menu full of wonders strictly anchored in Thai ingredients.
- Takagi (Ashiya): of all the kaiseki I had in Japan this year, this stood out for taste, presentation, and use of seasonal ingredients.
- Da Dong, Jingan – Xuhui (Shanghai): Da Dong is such a famous name in China and its restaurants in Shanghai did live up to his reputation. Superb Peking duck, but also the rest of the menu is worth a try.
- Ichimatsu (Osaka) of all of the yakitori of the year, this was my favorite as not only everything was flawless but there were a lot of adventurous chicken “parts” in the course.
- Gaggan (Bangkok, closed): even if I found an excess of showmanship, the overall experience was memorable. The restaurant closed shortly after my visit.
- Maguro-Shoten (Tokyo): this made it to the list because it is a tuna restaurant… (and I love tuna); very touristy, but everything managed in an efficient manner. I visited it three times, difficult to find a better deal for tuna in Tokyo.
Honorable mentions (in no particular order): Ningbo seafood market restaurants, Ministry of Crab, Okaru (okanamyaki) Barolo, Three Minus One, Bo Innovation, Labyrinth, Racine, Paste, Mr&Ms Bund (social table), Cathay Room Sunday Brunch, Brunch a Le Corto, Beef Hot Pot Experience, Akkeshi izakaya.
This year I will also list my top five dessert spots or cafes:
- Green Bean to Bar (Tokyo): a quiet spot in Naka-Meguro where to taste delicious chocolate pastry. If only their chocolate bars were not so crazily priced!
- Ralf’s Gelato (Ho Chi Minh City): my favorite gelato shop in Asia. Re-visited many times.
- Stop By Tea House (Taipei): hands down my favorite tea house in Taipei. Visited again in April 2019.
- Room A (Tainan): healthy nibbles and an innovative business model.
- Morinoen (Tokyo): a cafe nestled on top of a shop selling toasted green tea in Ningyocho’s Amazake alley.