No.24 Amber – HONG KONG, CHINA

The acclaimed Amber can be found in The Landmark, Mandarin Oriental’s smaller more individual Hong Kong hotel, and the stunning restaurant reflects that sense of independence combined with luxury.

Dutch-born chef and culinary director Richard Ekkebus’s food is fundamentally French, but also modern, imaginative and tinged with influences he has picked up over his globe-trotting career. Having trained and worked in Holland, France, Mauritius and Barbados through his career – including stints under iconic French chefs Pierre Gagnaire and Alain Passard – he has been at Amber’s helm since its opening in 2005. Ekkebus and his chef de cuisine Maxime Gilbert source the finest ingredients from near and far, successfully playing on Hong Kong’s position as an east-west crossroads, as a trading hub and a former British colony. Signatures include sea urchin in lobster jelly, with cauliflower, caviar and crispy seaweed waffle; Kagoshima wagyu beef with purée of forgotten Cévennes onion; and abinao 85% chocolate soufflé with cacao sorbet.

The exquisitely created and beautifully plated dishes are served beneath an eye-catching chandelier made up of more than 4,000 bronze rods suspended from the ceiling of the Adam Tihany-designed dining room. Sommelier John Chan’s extensive wine list is just as striking, featuring unusual selections from boutique producers in France, Chile and Portugal. The combination has secured Amber’s status as Hong Kong’s leading restaurant and as a regular resident of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.

Source: http://www.theworlds50best.com/list/1-50-winners/amber