Where You Should Eat in Asia

Here, we break it down by region, calling out favorites across Asia. (And the soup dumplings to end all soup dumplings...)

Ishikawa's kaiseki meals "rarely hit a false note." Photo: Courtesy Ishikawa

CHINA

Duck de Chine, Beijing

“My go-to place for Beijing duck. They’re crisped in ovens using date wood to enhance the flavor.” Justin Bergman, Shanghai correspondent for Monocle

Yu Zhi Lan, Chengdu

“Try the free-range duck egg-yolk noodles, hand cut and served in a soup with two slices of truffle and baby bok choy. Reservations are a must.” Justin Bergman

The Chairman, Hong Kong

“Call ahead to reserve the steamed crab set atop fresh, wide rice noodles in a sauce of aged Shaoxing wine and chicken oil.” Bill Addison, restaurant editor at Eater.com

Lung King Heen, Hong Kong

“The best dim sum in the world. Get a double order of the BBQ pork buns.” Deana Saukam, food writer

At Rōnin in Hong Kong, the menu changes daily - but you know dishes will always be "raw," "smaller," or "bigger." Photo: Courtesy Rōnin

Rōnin, Hong Kong

“From Matt Abergel and Lindsay Jang, the duo behind Yardbird, comes the nearly-impossible-to-find 24-seater. Your reward is some of the most inventive Japanese-inspired seafood menus around: flower crab with a sliver of uni, sea bream karaage (deep fried) with pickled jalapeño tosazu, saba (mackerel) sashimi uncommonly paired with persimmons, and the super-tender Kagoshima beef with mushroom that’s served with egg yolk, to name a few. While the menu changes daily, the organizing principle - ‘raw,’ ‘smaller,’ and ‘bigger’ - remains the same.” Pilar Guzmán, editor in chief

Tim Ho Wan, Hong Kong

“The baked buns with barbecued pork and steamed egg cake are to die for.” Justin Bergman

INDIA

Bombay Canteen, Mumbai

“Amazing vibe, some of the best Indian/fusion food I’ve ever had.” Sarah Khan, food and travel writer

Bukhara, New Delhi

“We love that nothing about this place—the decor, the yogurt and cane-vinegar marinated barrah kebab (leg of lamb)—has changed in 30 years. The result is the most masterful North-West Frontier tandoor-style cooking imaginable. Best of all, you eat everything with your hands.” Pilar Guzmán

Indian Accent, New Delhi

“Unquestionably the best restaurant in New Delhi, thanks to the baingan bharta, a classic Punjabi eggplant dish served inside a cornetto cone made with sun-dried tomato. Dinner reservations are tough—go for a weekday lunch.” Justin Bergman

JAPAN

Takotsubo, Hiroshima

“The freshest seafood from the Seto Inland Sea. My order is different every time, depending on what the chef recommends. Trust him.” Masaharu Morimoto, chef and TV personality

Otomezushi, Kanazawa

“You’ll get a tour of Toyama Bay and beyond: four species of ebi; deep-sea bream, crunchy and sweet; raw firefly squid; plus a duo of anago and unagi. It’s a meal you’ll never forget.” Luke Burgess, former chef at Garagistes in Hobart, Australia

Aronia de Takazawa, Tokyo

“This four-table tasting-menu restaurant pushes the boundaries of Japanese cooking. You’re at the mercy of the chef, but that is a great thing. Book far in advance.” Grant Achatz, chef/co-owner of Alinea in Chicago

Eatrip, Tokyo

“This place is an island of warmth in Tokyo.” Sam White, co-owner of Ramen Shop in Oakland, California

Ishikawa, Tokyo

“The kaiseki meals are perfectly assembled, multi-course progressions that rarely hit a false note.” Gabe Ulla, food writer

Jimbocho Den, Tokyo

"To sit at Den’s eight-seat counter is to dive headlong into an eight- to ten-course improv comedy show, as 38-year-old chef Zaiyu Hasegawa and his crew trot out surprise after kooky surprise. There’s the grinning bobblehead of Zaiyu-san on the counter, the carrots carved into smiley faces hiding in the salad greens, and the goofy homage to KFC (delivered in a box marked “Den-tucky Fried Chicken”): Inside, what looks like a normal fried chicken wing is stuffed with a mix of sticky rice, potatoes, or beans and with seasonal ingredients such as mushrooms and ume plum." Peter Jon Lindberg, contributing editor

To sit at Jimbocho Den’s eight-seat counter is to dive headlong into an eight- to ten-course improv comedy show. Photo: Courtesy Jimbocho Den

Kadowaki, Tokyo

“I loved the abalone with fish - liver soy sauce - the ideal combination of briny-fresh seafood and umami.” Dominique Ansel, baker

Katsukura, Tokyo

“Get the tonkatsu, or fried pork cutlet. The panko crust is light and crisp, the pork juicy and rich.” Mitchell Davis, executive vice president of the James Beard Foundation

Kyubey, Tokyo

“The fish is insanely fresh, and the attention to detail is remarkable. The omakase is downright perfect.” Jose Garces, chef/owner of Amada, Distrito, Tinto, and others in Philadelphia

L’Effervescence, Tokyo

“A feeling of calm washes over you the moment you walk into this beautiful dining room. Don’t miss the tableside tea service. It’s exquisite.” Sean Brock, chef/co-owner of Husk and McCrady’s in Charleston

Mikawa Zezankyo, Tokyo

“I remember eating battered and fried uni wrapped in shiso leaf and never wanting it to end.” Gabe Ulla

Sukiyabashi Jiro, Tokyo

"It's the best sushi in the world. Come hungry—Jiro serves his nigiri one right after the other, so each piece is super fresh and the perfect temperature. To get a reservation, have a friend who speaks Japanese call months in advance." Deana Saukam

Sushi Saito, Tokyo

“One of the greatest sushi omakases in the world.” Ken Oringer, chef/co-owner of Uni, Toro, and Coppa in Boston

Sushi Sho, Tokyo

“The most extraordinary omakase sushi meal no one can find.” Gail Simmons, author, special projects director for Food & Wine, and judge on Bravo’s Top Chef

SushiYa, Tokyo

"Hidden in an alley off another alley in Ginza, SushiYa (literally “Sushi Shop”) looks like your typical sushi den but the fish—good God, the fish! Otoro tuna as fatty and luscious as a slab of pancetta. Bonito smoked over straw. Hokkaido ikura, perked up with yuzu zest. Right now, this is the best in town." Peter Jon Lindberg

THE PHILIPPINES

Your Local, Makati

“I still dream of the pomelo salad with shrimp, winged beans, wild rocket, yuzu, nam jim, pickled quail eggs, and Thai coconut ‘ice cream.” Ashlea Halpern, contributing editor

SINGAPORE

Burnt Ends

“Sit at the bar and watch them break down a whole side of beef, then roast it in a 1,000-degree wood-fired oven or grill it over coals.” Peter Jon Lindberg

Restaurant André

“French technique, Asian influences, and seamless service.” Tim Ryan, president of The Culinary Institute of America

Sin Huat Eating House

“A sweltering dump open to the street and the prostitutes of Geylang. The chef wears shorts, a grotty T-shirt, and rubber wellies. It’s also delicious. Get the crab bee hoon on rice vermicelli.” Anthony Bourdain, chef, writer, and TV personality

SOUTH KOREA

Mingles, Seoul

“The modern restaurant movement has arrived in Seoul, and Mingoo Kang is its leader.” Matt Rodbard, food editor/writer

TAIWAN

Din Tai Fung, Taipei

“The best soup dumplings in the world.” Deana Saukam

THAILAND

Nahm, Bangkok

“Eye-rolling deliciousness.” Myffy Rigby, editor of Fairfax Media’s Good Food Guides

“Powerful, pungent, and mouth-scorchingly hot.” David Prior, contributing editor

“Stratospheric.” Andy Ricker, chef/owner of Pok Pok Restaurants

“Impressively complex.” Mitchell Davis

VIETNAM

Cục Gạch Quán, Ho Chi Minh City

“Traditional Vietnamese served in an elegant setting—a rarity here, since the best authentic food is usually dished out in dives with plastic tables.” Peter Jon Lindberg

By CNTraveler