GOOD, BETTER, BEST

The business of dining out is a volatile one, fraught with myriad uncertainties, not least our struggle as consumers to see past our voracious appetites and appreciate the common good. Still, I’d like to think that the fact that we’ve grown so inherently infatuated with eating has, conversely, helped us to become more discerning—still picky, but at least more certain and informed of our choices. Like the choice to embrace local ingredients despite the challenges, and to be able to unite this decision with our appreciation of today’s stars of gastronomy— from the renegades of contemporary cuisine to the lords and ladies of heritage fare—and the foods they so skilfully proffer. It helps that top chefs are committed to the advantages of sourcing locally (read more on page 48) as much as they are in serving up a uniquely memorable dining experience. The latter has continued to inspire concepts that defy the archaic constraints of fine dining in the hopes of providing a more meaningful and engaging experience (more on three such restaurants in Asia on page 42). Their success also affirms the diversity our local dining scene embraces with an almost unmatched fervour across all manners of indulgence. You only need to peruse this year’s edition of the T.dining Best Restaurants list and our picks for the Top 20 restaurants (see page 72). Better yet, make it a point to frequent your personal favourites—the survival of good restaurants depends on it.