The best Michelin 3-star restaurants in Asia
23rd February, 2018

Japan alone is home to a total of 34 restaurants with 3 Michelin stars - more than the whole of France, the country from which Michelin originates (and is infamous for favouring). And with the Bangkok guide arriving last December, Michelin is clearly paying attention to the East.

With a broad array of unique culinary traditions, Asia has some of the most vibrant and exciting fine dining to experience on the planet, from sushi to satay. If the very best food is an important part of your travel experience, then feast your eyes on these 3 Michelin star restaurants in Asia:

Lung King Heen - Hong Kong

Overview:

Winning a third Michelin star is something that very few restaurants ever achieve, and Lung King Heen, in Hong Kong, holds the record as the first establishment in China to be awarded the honour. Situated at the prestigious Four Seasons Hotel, the brainchild of Executive Chef Chan Yan-Tak offers guests a chance to experience some of the most exceptional Michelin Star cooking not just in Asia, but the entire world.

'Lung King Heen' translates to 'view of the dragon', which is an apt name for a restaurant which boasts spectacular views of Hong Kong Harbour, and a unique glimpse into what makes Chinese cooking so special. Yan-Tak was the first Chinese chef to be awarded 3 stars, and his intricately designed menu is a testament to the career of a chef at the very top of his game.

Ambience:

The aesthetic design of the restaurant's interior is both endlessly traditional and profoundly modern. Silver and glass accents highlight regal reds and golds, and an undulating silver leaf ceiling reflects the lights of the city and harbour back into the dining room. Lung King Heen is arguably best experienced in the evening, with last orders for food taken at 10:30pm.

Cuisine:

Offering guests a chance to sample the delicate and enormously rich heritage of Chinese cuisine, Yan-Tak's menu is extensive, diverse, and ingenious. The style here is modern Cantonese, complemented with an abundance of stunning dim sum - served only during lunch.

The dim sum at Lung King Heen is rotated in 3 seasonal menus, which each feature a multitude of dishes to be ordered at the diner's leisure. If you prefer to sample a bit of everything, then you can opt for either the 'Executive' or 'Yum Cha Gourmet' menus, which allow you to sample a collection of the very finest dim sum - and other dishes - on the menu.

The chef notes his own personal recommendations on each menu, and a particular highlight is certainly the baked whole abalone puff with diced chicken, representing a culmination of Chan's expertise and innovation. While the dish has inspired chefs around the world, it originates with Yan-Tak, and it's by far best enjoyed at the source.

Jöel Robuchon - Singapore

Overview:

Joël Robuchon is a global culinary icon, and remains the world's most decorated Michelin chef. His establishments are heralded the world over for their delightful, original, and innovative take on French cuisine, and his restaurant in Singapore is no exception. Situated at the island resort of Sentosa, the Joël Robuchon is a sensual delight, with every minute aesthetic and culinary detail an adventure of its own.

With a smart elegant dress code, there is an air of formality to the restaurant, although this is born more of respect and reverence than pomposity. The first - and only - Michelin 3-star restaurant in Singapore, Joël Robuchon has risen to its peak under the watchful eye of Executive Chef de Cuisine Kim Joinié-Maurin, who has repeated his 3-star success as the head of Robuchon's first restaurant in the United States.

Ambience:

In line with the overarching aesthetic of Robuchon's other restaurants', the ambience at Joël Robuchon Singapore is luxurious, elegant and indulgent. Chandeliers provide gentle, cascading light, while rich purples and deep blacks provide a regal quality to the velvet upholstery of the main dining room.

Fulfilling Robuchon's personal ideal of a homely, Art Décor style hotel, the restaurant features predominant beige tones, and manages to impress and immerse the senses. Offering both a main dining room and an outer 'winter garden' room enhanced with natural lighting (and a fairy-tale-esque fake tree), Robuchon ensures guests feel at home, whilst never letting them forget they're in one of the best restaurants in Asia.

Cuisine:

While Robuchon may not serve traditional Asian cuisine, his French artistry is at its pinnacle here, offering a scintillating selection of some of the Asia's finest dishes. Described by critics as 'pure magic', the 16 course degustation menu is a possibly the shining star here - inspired, in Robuchon's words, by 'Innovation, Modernity, and Tradition.'

Other options include 3 amuse bouche menus, all of which can be tailored to varying degrees of taste; many guests also fondly recount Robuchon's breads and dessert trolleys, for which he is internationally revered. All of the exceptional gastronomy is accompanied by a masterful wine cellar, replete with over 1,200 labels.

For those wishing to customise the experience, an extensive a la carte menu is also available. Cold appetisers include king crab, avocado cannelloni and citrus and vanilla condiments, while main dishes including roasted lobster with sea salt butter, lobster cappuccino (yep) and condiments.

Gaon - South Korea

Overview:

Owned by craftmasters the GwangJuYo Group, makers of fine ceramics and traditional Korean liquor, Gaon provides diners with something truly unique. Guests with a passion for exceptional and authentic culture will enjoy a cuisine that warrants greater global representation - and will do so in exquisite, masterful style.

Gaon means 'central', and this South Korean 3 Michelin-Starred restaurant puts guests at the heart of their own culinary experience. Providing only the very finest, seasonal, authentic Korean dining, the real masterstroke at Gaon is focusing on the ingredients themselves, and an appreciation for their distinct natural flavour.

There's no overt extravagance or elaborate show here: Chef Kim Byung Gin has crafted a menu that is remarkably humble and has been refined over his 15 tenure at both of the restaurant's incarnations. Dishes are served in custom-designed ceramic vessels and are accompanied with an exemplary Sake list - and valet parking to boot. Sometimes, it's the little comforts…

Ambience:

Before a relatively recent renovation, Gaon offered a stripped-down experience, with no main dining room and only 5 private rooms available to prospective diners. The result was a resolutely intimate experience - and while the restaurant has since expanded, none of this charm has been lost. After ascending a set of stairs and entering through glass doors, the decor of Gaon perfectly matches the nature of the food.

With gentle, warm lights and refined, simple table dressing (across several different rooms), the aesthetic of Gaon ties in distinctly with the creatively traditional menu, and manages to speak volumes by saying very little at all.

Cuisine:

In line with the simplicity and tasteful dignity of Gaon, the only menu available is the tasting menu. While a limited choice might seem initially restricting, it falls in line with some of the all-time greatest culinary experiences (such as the 30-plus courses served at the now-closed El Bulli, probably the greatest restaurant ever to exist).

Submitting your palate to the expertise and brilliant creativity of Chef Byung Gin - and the optional wine pairing - is by far the best way to get the most complete experience. Korean cooking, known as 'On-nal' (the name of Gaon's menu) is traditionally dignified, and while the dishes at Gaon are not without creative flair, there is a humble simplicity to their composition.

Gaon's website references 'The careful approach to selecting ingredients, coupled with seasonal finesse', resulting in dishes that focus on 'expressing the original taste of the ingredients rather than dazzling with extravagance.' Deep flavours, powerful aromas, and only the very best produce make Gaon the perfect place to experience the world of On-nal.

Sushi Saito - Japan

Overview:

In the aforementioned Joël Robuchon's opinion, Sushi Saito is the "best sushi restaurant in the world", which is quite a recommendation from the most decorated Michelin Chef of all time. It seems almost inevitable that a sushi restaurant would feature on this list, and of all of the stunning establishments in Japan, Sushi Saito truly stands out. This simple 3 Michelin Star restaurant is one of the finest in Asia, and it's possibly the most exclusive place in which to discover the art of sushi first hand.

On the pass is master sushi chef Takashi Saito, and his knowledge and respect for the artistry of his craft results in a procession of dishes that simply can't be equalled. The dining room is humble, and the focus here is on the beauty and intricacy of Saito's treatment of his world class ingredients. Few are likely to forget an experience of Sushi Saito, and watching the master at work is, without a hint of hyperbole, pure culinary poetry.

The only element of Sushi Saito to equal its legendary cuisine is its notoriety for being one of the hardest restaurants in the world to book into. Technically, bookings open 1-2 months in advance, but in reality, repeat diners tend to be favoured (and after dining, everyone seems to want to come back). Unless you have a contact, securing a table tends only to be possible through a cancellation.

Ambience:

There is little to be said about the ambience of Sushi Saito, in the best possible way. Located on the ground floor of the South Ark Tower in Roppongi, Tokyo, and sandwiched between lesser eateries, the restaurant seats a mere 8 diners. The chosen few face the cypress counter at which Saito himself prepares every dish.

Simple woods, screens, and symmetry ensure that while the dining room is elegant, the entirety of the focus is placed on the cuisine. Much as Albert Einstein famously owned multiple versions of only one outfit (to eliminate mental distraction), so Takashi Saito's restaurant design ensures all guests can think about is the food.

Cuisine:

It seems almost misaligned to describe Saito's menu as cuisine, and more appropriate to understand it as art. Sushi has an ancient heritage in Japan, and Saito serves the best in Tokyo, and arguably the entire country. Saito's menu takes diners on a traditional journey, opening with sashimi. This course includes delights such as Firefly Squid; baby sardine rolled in snapper roe; and an unforgettable sashimi of Bonito, using some of the best fish available in the world.

Following the Sashimi course, the Sushi is simple exceptional. Guests are treated with everything from mackerel (aji) with grated ginger, onion and sardine to a variety of tuna cuts, and delicate rice prepared with mild red vinegar. The cuts are painstakingly temperature controlled, and some are even aged. The experience at Sushi Saito is not merely one of exceptional flavour - it's one of heat, texture, and temperament.