Just about everyone loves stars, lists and rankings, when they relate to what and where we eat — and even more so when they're seasoned with a dash of national pride. And nowhere is this more evident than at the announcement ceremony for the annual Asia's 50 Best Restaurants awards.
This year's event — the fourth to date — was held with considerable fanfare on Feb. 29 in Bangkok, the first time it has taken place outside of Singapore. In the atmospheric setting of the former Russian Embassy, which is now a fine-dining restaurant known as The House on Sathorn, chefs, restaurateurs and luminaries from across the continent gathered for the denouement. There was enough glitter and glam on the red carpet leading into the hall to back up the organizers' tongue-in-cheek assertion that this event has become the "true Oscars, at least of the food world in Asia."
As the comperes introduced each restaurant on this year's list, counting down to first place, applause and cheering greeted most of the names, but there were some blank looks as unheralded restaurants slotted in among the better-known heavyweights. This year, a total of 13 countries and territories were represented, more than ever before, as Indonesia joined the party for the first time with the inclusion of Locovore restaurant from the island of Bali.