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Japan, China dominate list of world's top restaurants

26 Comments
By Fiachra GIBBONS

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26 Comments
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Good to hear the Japanese restaurants dominating the list again

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Japan's number-one spot is less impressive once you take into consideration the fact that stars are awarded by local judges.

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

Perhaps in China the tourist can try delicacies like scorpions, flies and fillet of mouse.

-9 ( +2 / -11 )

Maybe judges prefer chopsticks? Congratulations to Japan and China.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Honestly, I can't consider this French based list unbiased. Come on...It's just a coincidence if French cooking dominates the top 100? Okay. Lol.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

It's very strange that China is on this list.

China does not have a good reputation for food safety, to be honest I wonder how much the Chinese government has $pent to convince the judges.

-3 ( +6 / -9 )

It's very strange that China is on this list.

Not if you’ve spent much time in China it’s not. Particularly if you are there with a chinese person who has money and/or connections. Chinese food can be absolutely amazing. It’s a culinary delight.

12 ( +14 / -2 )

StrangerlandToday  06:15 pm JST

Not if you’ve spent much time in China it’s not. Particularly if you are there with a chinese person who has money and/or connections. Chinese food can be absolutely amazing. It’s a culinary delight.

No, thanks!

-13 ( +2 / -15 )

To each their own, but from my own perspective, if I had never been to China and eaten there, my life would be lesser. Chinese food is my favorite.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

@strangerland,

Yup, I wouldn't be surprised to see upscale Chinese food on the rise considering China's economic status. Probably a lot in Shanghai. Either way, Chinese food is delicious even when they are hole-in-the-wall as well.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

We haven't seen the list but this reads like they are talking primarily about international cuisine and not that these countries are only best in their local cuisine.  There are some amazing French and Italian and other restaurants in both Japan and China.  Not sure why the food safety issue is a factor in peoples thoughts - not relevant for high end restaurants.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Yup, I wouldn't be surprised to see upscale Chinese food on the rise considering China's economic status. Probably a lot in Shanghai. Either way, Chinese food is delicious even when they are hole-in-the-wall as well.

Spot on. Some of the best food I've ever had was in Shanghai. I went to some posh-ish restaurants and a few dives. I'm not much of a foodie but the soups in particular were unbelievably good.

Didn't think too much of the booze though...

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Chinese food is amazing, but the stuff you get outside China is mostly rubbish. Not sure why that is, maybe because people aren't ready to pay the prices that good Chinese food requires. They are used to sweet and sour pork, and that's it.

Several years in China, and I was always getting surprised by new dishes. The cuisine alone shows how long and diverse their culture is.

And Japan is deserving as well. If you ask Chinese people what they want to eat aside from Chinese food, Japanese food is probably at the top. Dashi-based Japanese and more oil-based Chinese. They have all the bases covered.

Sorry, but in general, I Japan and China together rank well over most other countries, including most of Europe.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

I don't know why those La Liste ranking is needed to tourists/outsiders of that country say restaurants top rank are Chinese and Japanese. I've been half of this planet to prove Japanese foods that is far away the taste+image of Japanese food what I eat in Japan, knowing most of the owner or chefs are Chinese or Koreans. If I'm Chinese I perhaps can say more. The average of Chinese/ Japanese food in the world aren't real and where I can eat genuine Japanese food abroad, 5 star hotels where the cost is 5 times more than Japanese restaurant in Japan?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The average of Chinese/ Japanese food in the world aren't real

And you think the French/Italian/Indian/Thai/Mexican/Vietnamese/Spanish/Korean etc food generally served up in Japan is authentic?

I think variations on dishes are interesting. I went to a well reviewed Brazilian restaurant in Japan with a Brazilian friend years ago. He thought it was overpriced, inauthentic and awful. I thought it was good but I don't know about these things. The Japanese customers seemed to be wolfing it down without hesitation with me.

Not to question your frustration, but I'm sure Japanese people aren't the only ones to feel your frustration.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

UdonDashi: "It's very strange that China is on this list. China does not have a good reputation for food safety, to be honest I wonder how much the Chinese government has $pent to convince the judges."

Everything you just said about China is equally true of Japan, including a history of wining and dining and spending money to get approval.

That said, I agree that this list is likely VERY biased -- take for example that it's French, and 'naturally' all French chefs are the best, and a French restaurant is number one yet again. You can ask ANY country what the top three foods in the world are, in terms of nationality, and pretty much every country throws their own name in there.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Chinese haute cuisine is a gastro-oxymoron

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

I've been about everywhere from Nagoya to Nairobi and in between. To me, the best everyday food in the world is in Japan. Heck, even a Denny's is great in Japan!

1 ( +6 / -5 )

I'm glad more cuisine are getting attention, but the list is still biased. I'm thinking many of the restaurants they chose in Japan and China are still French cuisine restaurants.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Katsu and other fries were introduced via Portugal, etc.

Is Goulash American or Austrian or Hungarian? Austria and Hungary are still fighting, complicated by the Austro-Hungarian Empire in History. Where does Szegediner Goulash fit in?

Yes, regional countries share a lot of cuisines, often developed their own flavour/variants. I like Steak Tartare which is very similar to Korean Yukke yet thousands of miles separate us.

Japanese Curry is not Indian nor Thai, etc curry.

In the end all is good and tasty.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

ThePBotToday  12:26 am JST I'm glad more cuisine are getting attention, but the list is still biased. I'm thinking many of the restaurants they chose in Japan and China are still French cuisine restaurants.

The best Japanese food isn't nearly as difficult to prepare as are many Chinese, French and Italian dishes. Kaiseki, for example, is simple to the extreme and excellence or failure relies almost entirely on the freshness of ingredients. The same is true for sushi, perhaps the most overly fetishized preparation on Earth.

I find it more remarkable that French restaurants in Tokyo have earned Michelin stars, but find it ludicrous when they award them to cuisines for which they have no real ability to judge. I mean, a ramen-ya?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The average food stall in Bangkok, Singapore or Hanoi offers food that is much more tasty, not to mention at the fraction of cost comparing to those overpriced French, Italian, Japanese, etc restaurants.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

The best Japanese food isn't nearly as difficult to prepare as are many Chinese, French and Italian dishes. Kaiseki, for example, is simple to the extreme and excellence or failure relies almost entirely on the freshness of ingredients. The same is true for sushi, perhaps the most overly fetishized preparation on Earth.

I actually I agree on you on that one, especially when we're talking about serving raw items. However, my main point was that it's a French publisher (government). So of course it's going to be biased for French cuisine. Maybe it'd be better if they made the list of the best French restaurants in the world. Also, maybe part of the reason why they highly rate Japan is probably due to the fact that the founder was a French ambassador to Japan.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The average food stall in Bangkok, Singapore or Hanoi offers food that is much more tasty, not to mention at the fraction of cost comparing to those overpriced French, Italian, Japanese, etc restaurants.

Something for everyone, Peter. Restaurants are like cars. A Benz may cost 3 time as much as a Toyota, but you are not getting 3 times the car. Both will get you from A to B equally well and in mostly similar comfort. People pay 3 times the price for that extra 20% of value. Same in restaurants.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

North East Asia should unite to standardize food production, together with unified money and technology and culture.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

AkieToday 09:21 am JST

North East Asia should unite to standardize food production, together with unified money and technology and culture."

Based on past experience and with the regional tensions, I doubt that a Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere of Cuisine would work, do you propose that it all be paid with Bitcoin?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

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