Fusion restaurants in Asia
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A
Bla Bla Bla
Spiffier than a pimp’s outfit, Bla Bla Bla brings a splash of Hollywood to Kuching. The tasty fusion food is anything but ‘blah’, and patrons will adore the koi pond and golden Buddhas.
reviewed
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B
Gonpachi
If the screen shots of Uma Thurman in a yellow jumpsuit didn't clue you in, Gonpachi is the place that inspired the Lucy Liu sequence in Kill Bill (think Charlie Brown and the Crazy 88). Though the menu isn't authentically Japanese (camembert tempura – yum!), the decor is undeniably Edo. Reserve early for a booth on the 2nd floor overlooking the crowd below. There's a sushi room on the 3rd level, which is separate from the rest of the restaurant.
reviewed
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Drunken Sailors
This hip, ultra-relaxed, octagonal pad is smothered with beanbags. The coffee drinks are top-notch and go well with interesting bites like the chicken green curry sandwich.
reviewed
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C
Jade On 36
Foie gras lollipops, strawberry-cola spaghetti, a lemon tart that's a hollowed-out lemon with a sorbet-like filling - the food here is as extraordinary as the ornate setting (courtesy of Adam Tihany, the world's leading restaurant designer) and views.
It's simultaneously Shanghai's wackiest and most exclusive dining experience; take your pick from one of the four set menus (there are no other options) and prepare to be astonished.
reviewed
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Grasshopper
Save this one for a special occasion. Some 15km south of town, this leafy boutique restaurant run by a designer couple has no menu; you just have to go by what it tosses up for the day. Besides, you have to book at least a day in advance and inform them about your food preferences. The upside of all this is a scrumptious, heart-warming meal, which you’ll remember for a long time to come.
reviewed
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D
Tangerine
Descend five floors for sublime cuisine, tasty Western snacks or cocktails in the brilliant Japanese-style floor-cushioned bar area. Try the stuffed-tomato curry or sample Sikkimese specialities like sochhya (nettle stew). Stylishly relaxed decor with a waiter/origami-ist who turns napkins into birds.
reviewed
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E
Jean Georges
Divine palate-pleasers (beef tenderloin in a miso-red-wine sauce, crab with mango and cumin crisps) are the order of the day at the Manhattan chef’s sensuous Shanghai outpost. It’s divided into casual and formal (set dinner only, Y538) dining rooms at night. Reserve.
reviewed
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F
Mad for Garlic
The bare brick walls, the wine glass and wine bottle decor and the open-plan kitchen make this a top spot for atmosphere and couples. The Italian menu doesn’t disappoint, nor does the Dracula Killer starter. Bottles of wine start from W30,000.
reviewed
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G
Café Smile
Part of the Hoa Sua family, this relaxed cafe-restaurant is renowned for its cakes and pastries, but also serves delicious Vietnamese (try the pho ) and Western dishes.
reviewed
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H
Restaurant Bobby Chinn
Blending the best of East and West, owner-chef Bobby Chinn is part Chinese and part Egyptian and brings all his influences to bear in this classy setting. Try the superb salads or the fish with flair, chased down with a chocolate bomb. For an aperitif, coffee or even a sheesha (water pipe) with fruit-flavoured tobacco, move through the silk drapes to the chill-out cushions at the back.
reviewed
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I
Zan Z Bar
An ultrahip diner on Dong Du, this place has quickly generated a buzz thanks to its Pacific-Rim fusion cuisine. Try chilli crab noodles or the excellent pita pizzas. Definitely one of the ‘in’ places.
reviewed
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J
Azul/Viva/Vargas Grill
Peruvian restaurateur Eduardo Vargas specialises in hip fusion food with the flavours of South America prominent. Rough-hewn stone seating and shimmery gold and violet decor sets the scene at the downstairs tapas bar, Azul, where the Latin influence is to the fore thanks to the Peruvian beef tapas (Y65), prawn ceviche (marinated raw seafood) with orange sauce (Y70) and margaritas. On the 2nd floor is Viva, which is more of a restaurant, despite the couches to recline on. A new addition, the Vargas Grill, has opened on the 3rd floor. The weekend brunch here is a good deal. Reserve.
reviewed
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K
Courtyard
Discreetly hidden behind a curtain of bamboo, the Courtyard enjoys a virtually unparalleled location perched moat-side opposite the east gate of the Forbidden City; modern menu and scrumptious views for romantic dinners. Book ahead.
reviewed
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L
Mesa
For fine dining in a casual atmosphere, Mesa is your spot. The former factory has been renovated just enough to be en vogue, but touches such as exposed steel support beams remind you to leave the tie at home. The menu appears to have roots somewhere in France, but it has since adapted to its own distinctive Australasian niche: crispy duck in an apple-fig glaze and oven-roasted sea bass with chèvre (goat’s milk cheese) risotto are among the temptations. The megapopular weekend brunches (from Y80) are kid-friendly too. Upstairs is the swish bar Manifesto. Reserve.
reviewed
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M
Kathleen’s 5
Kathleen’s 5 is all about the location: it’s set on the roof of the gorgeous Shanghai Art Museum in a glass-encased dining area, providing great leafy views of the park during the day, and People’s Square’s bright blinking towers by night. The menu here has changed from standard American to more inventive creations – jewfish with coconut milk and coriander pesto (Y210) or grilled prawns in sea-urchin sauce (Y230). The separate bar is a popular, if pricey spot, especially if you can grab a seat on the outside terrace.
reviewed
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N
Shintori Null II
The warehouse industrial-chic interior here resembles a set from a Peter Greenaway film, from the eye-catching open kitchen, which looks like it should house Hannibal Lector, to the sleek staff running around like an army of ninjas. The dishes – Beijing duck rolls (Y75), cold noodles served in an ice bowl (Y70), beef steak on pu-erh leaves (Y160) – are excellent, but they maintain the minimalist theme, so make sure to order more than one. Finish off with black sesame seed ice cream (Y65). Reserve.
reviewed
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O
Ninja Akasaka
Super-stealth staff, trained in the deadly art of catering, escort you through a maze of trap doors and trick drawbridges before seating you at your private table. Savour tasty Japanese fare, like 'cloaked chicken' or 'crouching salmon', and at the end of the meal, a saucy senior ninja swings by to perform some impressive close magic. But perhaps the biggest trick of all is the food's swift disappearing act – portions are extremely small, so if you're sharing, make sure to order more plates than there are people (if you're dining à la carte). Reservations are a must.
reviewed
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P
Sosam Tea House
At this artsy tea house, bowls hand-painted with flowers sit atop placemats of crocheted lace, and jars of lychee wine vie for space with books on a wooden shelf next to the open kitchen, where the owner gives her take on familiar Chinese dishes. Indochina dragonplum, an ancient fruit, appears in a sauce for handmade shrimp roe noodles, and it’s delicious. To get here, take minibus 27M from Mong Kok MTR station (exit B2) and disembark at the final stop.
reviewed
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Q
Indigo
Colaba’s finest eating option, Indigo has inventive European cuisine, a long wine list, sleek ambience and an absolutely gorgeous roof deck lit with fairy lights. Daily specials come with wine recommendations. Favourites include the soft basil-crusted Norwegian salmon, with asparagus, beetroot couscous and lemon and orange-caper butter (Rs985); or lemon ricotta tortellini with fennel spinach sauce, porcini mushrooms and walnuts (Rs585). Bookings are essential.
reviewed
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R
Jiǎ 21 Hào Xīnán Mínzú Cài
It’s slightly off the beaten track, but diners who come here are rewarded with imaginative dishes that take their inspiration from the southwestern cuisine of Yúnnán and Guìzhōu, with a dash of Sìchuān spice. The suān tāng yú (sour fish soup) is worth the trip. The decor, palm trees and concrete walls, as well as the huge ceilings and giant dining area (with a nonsmoking section), is a little bizarre, but don’t let that put you off.
reviewed
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Farmers Trading Market
On Pantao Lu through the archway, this place is open all day and late into the evenings. Píjiǔyú (beer fish) is Yángshuò's most famous dish and in fact this may be the best budget place to buy it. Local Li River fish are cooked up with chillies, spring onion, tomato, ginger and beer. You can find all sorts of stuff here, but you may have to put up with the sight of dogs being skinned, so be prepared.
reviewed
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Daidaiya, Minato
Although Asian fusion is all the rage outside Japan, it's still catching on in Tokyo. Of course, it's hard not to fall in love with this culinary mish-mash, especially once you've realised the benefits of eating rich Thai curries alongside innovative sushi rolls and savoury Chinese dumplings. Although the food at Daidaiya is always creative and daring, it pales in comparison to the restaurant's eye-arresting ultramodern interior.
reviewed
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Fujimamas
Fujimamas is hugely popular for its Asian fusion cuisine - like pan-seared salmon with wasabi cream on a curried corn pancake - and its quality Californian wines. Upstairs are airy rooms in what was once a tatamimaker's workshop. Fujimamas also offers a great children's menu. The restaurant is in the first alley south of the Omote-sandō and Meiji-jingū intersection. Reservations are recommended.
reviewed
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T
Daidaya
Unabashedly cool with modern Balinese-style design accents from floor to ceiling, this ultrasophisticated Asian fusion restaurant offers a nouvelle take on this already inventive cuisine. Dishes like Kyshu-style sausages with homemade wasabi-mayonnaise are individually crafted works of art, and are presented in slow but steady stages to allow for the maximum amount of appreciation.
reviewed
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U
Rockfish
Perched above the river mouth and the bobbing long-tails, with beach, bay and mountain views, is Kamala's best dining room. It rolls out gems such as braised duck breast with kale, and prosciutto-wrapped scallops.
reviewed