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THE BEST CHINESE RESTAURANTS IN THE WORLD

I was sent this You Tube link to Shang Palace, a restaurant located in the Shangri-La Hotel in Paris, which has one Michelin star as the only Chinese eating establishment in the city so honored.  But I remembered dining in Michelin-starred restaurants before, in the Orient, so there must have been something more to all this.

I found an article entitled:

Why don’t more Chinese restaurants get Michelin stars? 

Dirty, unhealthy and unsophisticated – 

is that what Michelin’s snobby Western foodies really think?

To quote:

So how did Chinese food become the poster child for “dirty”, unhealthy or unsophisticated food in Western societies?

Many Western critics don’t quite understand why Chinese food comes in the form it does. Why do the Chinese eat chicken or duck feet, or why the organs of an animal might be considered the most prized and delicate part? They see jellyfish or fish heads and this sort of food is alien to them.

It is true that, over the years, a lot of cheap Chinese cuisine has arisen overseas due to immigrants but this is by no means a reflection of Chinese food.

This article focused on Hong Kong / Macau, which has 90 Michelin-starred restaurants.  Seems like a lot, but the USA has almost 200 of them, and there are 2817 worldwide:  2290 with one star, 414 with two and 113 at 3.

From Wikipedia:

Michelin stars are a rating system used by the red Michelin Guide to grade restaurants on their quality. The guide was originally developed in 1900 to show French drivers where local amenities such as restaurants and mechanics were. The rating system was first introduced in 1926 as a single star, with the second and third stars introduced in 1933.[1] According to the Guide, one star signifies "a very good restaurant", two stars are "excellent cooking that is worth a detour", and three stars mean "exceptional cuisine that is worth a special journey".[2] The listing of starred restaurants is updated once a year.

The ultimate is 3-stars, and there are 132 (must have increased from the 113 previously mentioned) of them.  Some interesting facts:

  • There are more 3-star restaurants in Tokyo than Paris, although France has 30 and Japan 22.
  • #3 is the USA with 13, but just Hong Kong / Macau has 10, and half of them look Chinese by name.
  • Masa in New York, one of them, is Japanese, and costs $600 for one meal.
  • However, Sublimotion (above right) in Ibiza, Spain charges $2000/person, and only has 2 stars.
  • China has 3 of them, but one is more avant-garde than Chinese.
  • So there are several 3-star Chinese restaurants in the world.
How much will you spend at Michelin restaurants?  An average of $357 for 3-stars palaces and $252 for 2-star ones, and only for the tasting menu.  Add alcohol, which of course will be ridiculously expensive. However, it also depends on the country.  The cheapest for 2/3-star restaurants is Thailand at $173, #2 Ireland $212 and #3 South Korea $213.  I am especially fond of Thai fusion restaurants, best at the top of very tall buildings.


The cost of 1-star restaurants ranges from reasonable to $500 and more.  Just think of all those fancy restaurants you've been to with zero stars.

Other points?
  • Tipping?  Here you need to watch out, for many of them have already added a 20% or so service charge.  In the U.S., if not already included in the cost, 20%.  In much of the rest of the world, 5-10%.
  • Dietary preferences?  They are very accommodating.
  • Dress code?  Varies, but provides a good reason to dress-up.
  • How long is the meal?  At least two, but many times up to four hours, and longer.
  • Reservations?  Good luck.
  • How many have I been to?  Countless.
  • Best?  Probably Nomo, for while Michelin usually insults this restaurant with a 2-star, the Pellegrino Best 50 restaurants like him, and Chef Rene is back at #1 this year.  While reservations are impossible, I go to Copenhagen mostly to dine there.  I think I have a personal link with the chef.
  • Most dining experiences in the same 3-star?  By far Robuchon in Tokyo.  I'm sure I've been there more than half a dozen times.  I can usually see it from my room in the Tokyo Westin.

Alas, I found another article:

Leading Hong Kong chef dies days after a first Michelin star was awarded to Shang Palace restaurant at Shangri-La Singapore, where he led the kitchen

58-year old Mok Kit-keung suddenly died just days after his Shang Palace, also at the Shangri-La Hotel, won a Michelin star in September.  He previously was at the Shang Palace at the Kowloon Shangri-La in Hong Kong, which won a second Michelin star in 2008/9.

So after all that, I just had to have Shanghai Soup Dumplings, which I enjoyed last night:

The wine was a Spellbound Petite Syrah and the cognac was Hennessey.

To close on this Sunday:


- 

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