Bangkok’s Gaggan reigns supreme again
Bangkok is at the top of Asia’s culinary map again as Gaggan claimed 2017 Asia’s Best Restaurant spot, for the third consecutive year.
The progressive Indian restaurant on Lang Suan Road placed at No.1 in the regional ranking sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna. It is also the fourth consecutive year that Thailand has secured the No.1 spot since the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list was established in 2013. The second edition of the event placed Nahm at the top of the list.
Chef/patron Gaggan Anand is renowned for his sharp and eccentric twists on his native Indian cuisine. At his cooking lab and restaurant, dishes are prepared with futuristic techniques and presented in a distinctive style of a tasting menu. Last year Gaggan was ranked No.23 on the world’s best restaurant list.
Gaggan is followed by Restaurant Andre in Singapore at, Amber in Hong Kong, 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana in Hong Kong and Nahm, in that order.
Sixth and seventh places were taken by Narisawa and Nihonryori Ryugin in Tokyo, Japan. While Ultraviolet in Shanghai, China was ranked eighth and Odette and Burnt Ends from Singapore were ninth and 10th, respectively.
Also representing Thailand this year were Issaya Siamese Club at No.21, Eat Me at No.31 and Bo.Lan at No.19.
Four other restaurants from the Big Mango debuted this year — one-year-old Sühring ranked at No.13, The Dining Room at the House on Sathorn at No.36, Le Du at No.37 and L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Bangkok at No.40.
Other prestigious honours include Asia’s Best Pastry Chef won by Japan’s Kazutoshi Narita of Esquisse and Esquisse Cinq in Tokyo. Den in Tokyo won the inaugural Art of Hospitality Award Asia. While May Chow of Little Bao, in Hong Kong and Bangkok, was named Asia’s Best Female Chef 2017.
Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list covers 26 countries namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Micronesia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal,
Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, TimorLeste and Vietnam.
The 2017’s award ceremony event was held in Bangkok and hosted by W Bangkok and Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) on Feb 21. Studies show that food is among the top attractions that draws tourists to Thailand, according to TAT. The awards have prominently confirmed the country, which is famous worldwide for its gastronomic diversity and culinary heritage, as the region’s gourmet hub. Over the past couple of years, Bangkok has witnessed the development of sophisticated restaurants with an increasing number of out-of-town star-studded chefs adopting Bangkok as their harbour.
So, what else could we asked for? Rumour has it that people from the Michelin Guide are beginning to review restaurants in Bangkok and by the year-end, the City of Angels may have its own edition of the legendary restaurant handbook.