When I’m travelling and looking for recommendations, I generally avoid the generic “what are your favourite restaurants?” or “what are some of the must-eats in your city?”. More often than not, the person I’ve asked will turn into a bumbling mess of “umm”s and “ahh”s or I’ll get an overwhelmingly long list that I end up becoming the bumbling mess of “umm”s and “ahh”s.
So what I do instead is ask one simple question –
“If you had only three more meals in a city before you had to leave forever, where would you eat?”
The list below is what I would answer with if I was asked my own question.
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World
| # | Restaurant | Go-to dish | City | Food (10) | Service (4) | Ambience (3) | Value (3) | Total (20) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sushidokoro Mekumi (すし処 めくみ) |
Anything with Crab in it, Nodoguro, Buri | Hakusan | 9.5 | 3 | 3 | 1.5 | 17 |
| 2 | Naruse (成生) | Everything | Shizuoka | 9.5 | 2.5 | 3 | 2 | 17 |
| 3 | Kataori (片折) | Sabazushi, Crab Dumpling Soup | Kanazawa | 9.5 | 3 | 2.5 | 2 | 17 |
| 4 | Aca 1° (アカ) | Paella (seasonal variation) | Tokyo | 9.5 | 3.5 | 2 | 1.5 | 16.5 |
| 5 | Kimoto (紀茂登) | Taiza Crab Miso w/ Rice, Crab Dumpling Soup |
Tokyo | 9.5 | 2.5 | 3 | 1.5 | 16.5 |
| 6 | Sushi Obana (鮨おばな) |
Ikura, Chutoro Nigiri | Tatebayashi | 9 | 3.5 | 2 | 2 | 16.5 |
| 7 | Jimbocho Den (傳) | Beef Clay Pot Rice | Tokyo | 8 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 2 | 16 |
| 8 | Takiya (たきや) | Shirako Tempura w/ White Truffle | Tokyo | 8.5 | 3 | 2.5 | 2 | 16 |
| 9 | Nakahara Yakiniku (炭火焼肉なかはら) | Sirloin, Oyster Blade | Tokyo | 9.5 | 3.5 | 2 | 1 | 16 |
| 10 | Jumbo Hanare (焼肉 ジャンボ はなれ) |
Noharayaki, Gyukatsudon | Tokyo | 9 | 2.5 | 2 | 2.5 | 16 |
Sydney
| # | Restaurant | Go-to dish | Food (10) | Service (4) | Ambience (3) | Value (3) | Total (20) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LuMi Bar and Dining | Degustation | 9 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2 | 16 |
| 2 | Eleven Bridge (closed) | Chicken Wings w/ Kombu Butter, Date tart (original since 1984), Beef Wellington (off-menu) |
9 | 3 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 16 |
| 3 | Sokyo | Sushi Omakase, Chase Toro Toro, DengakuMan (Miso Cod) |
9 | 3 | 2 | 1.5 | 15.5 |
| 4 | Bar Vincent | Ragu Bianco, Risotto | 9 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 2 | 15 |
| 5 | A Tavola | Pappardelle Con Ragu, Burrata, Gnocchi | 9 | 2.5 | 2 | 1.5 | 15 |
| 6 | Saint Peter | Anything adventurous | 8.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 15 |
| 7 | Wang Wang BBQ | Roast Pork, Roast Duck | 9 | N/A | N/A | 3 | N/A |
| 8 | Juan Bowl and Tea | Kaisendon, Katsudon | 8 | 2.5 | 2 | 2 | 14.5 |
| 9 | Firedoor | Dry Aged Rib of Beef | 8 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 14.5 |
| 10 | Temasek | Chicken Laksa, Nasi Goreng |
8.5 | 2 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 14.5 |
Melbourne
| # | Restaurant | Go-to dish | Food (10) | Service (4) | Ambience (3) | Value (3) | Total (20) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rockwell & Sons (closed) | Maine-Style Tiger Prawn Roll, but everything really |
9 | 3.5 | 1.5 | 3 | 17 |
| 2 | Hammer & Tong (closed) | Soft Shell Crab Burger, Lavender Yoghurt |
9 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 2 | 15 |
| 3 | Tarts Anon | Chocolate Caramel Tart, Passionfruit Ginger Tart | 9 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 4 | Tipo 00 | Tagliolini al Nero, Gnocchi di Patate, Tipomisù | 8.5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 14.5 |
| 5 | Uminono | Omakase Box | 8.5 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 2 | 14.5 |
| 6 | Attica | Degustation | 7.5 | 3 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 14.5 |
| 7 | Mono XO | Scallop Sando, Spanner Crab with Potato Darphin | 8.5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 14.5 |
| 8 | Igni | The Snacks | 7.5 | 3 | 2 | 1.5 | 14 |
| 9 | Top Paddock | Blueberry & Ricotta Hotcake, Soft Shell Crab on Brioche Roll |
7.5 | 2.5 | 2 | 2 | 14 |
| 10 | Sunda | Vegemite Roti, Chicken Crackling Egg Noodles | 7.5 | 2.5 | 2 | 1.5 | 13.5 |
Tokyo
| # | Restaurant | Go-to dish | Food (10) | Service (4) | Ambience (3) | Value (3) | Total (20) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aca 1° (アカ) | Paella (seasonal variation) | 9.5 | 3.5 | 2 | 1.5 | 16.5 |
| 2 | Kimoto (紀茂登) | Taiza Crab Miso w/ Rice, Crab Dumpling Soup |
9.5 | 2 | 3 | 1.5 | 16 |
| 3 | Jimbocho Den (傳) | Beef Clay Pot Rice, Denutella |
8 | 3.5 | 3 | 2 | 16 |
| 4 | Takiya (たきや) | Shirako Tempura w/ White Truffle |
8.5 | 3 | 2.5 | 2 | 16 |
| 5 | Yakiniku Nakahara (炭火焼肉なかはら) |
Sirloin, Oyster Blade | 9.5 | 3.5 | 2 | 1 | 16 |
| 6 | Jumbo Hanare (焼肉 ジャンボ はなれ) |
Noharayaki, Gyukatsudon | 9 | 2.5 | 2 | 2.5 | 16 |
| 7 | Narikura Tonkatsu (成蔵) |
Tokyo X Loin Tonkatsu | 9.5 | 3 | 2 | 1.5 | 16 |
| 8 | Sushi Namba (鮨 なんば 日比谷) | Kinki in Dashi, Ankimo | 9 | 3 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 16 |
| 9 | Amamoto (東麻布 天本) | Hay Smoked Katsuo | 9 | 3 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 16 |
| 10 | Hashiguchi (はしぐち) |
Otoro, Chutoro & Anago Nigiri |
8.5 | 3 | 3 | 1.5 | 16 |
Hong Kong
| # | Restaurant | Go-to dish | Food (10) | Service (4) | Ambience (3) | Value (3) | Total (20) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joy Hing Roasted Meats (再興燒臘飯店) |
Fatty Char Siu and Fatty Roast Pork Rice (Combo) |
9.5 | 1.5 | 1 | 3 | 15 |
| 2 | Aberdeen Fishball & Noodles Restaurant (香港仔魚蛋粉) – Tin Hau Branch only |
Brisket Dry Noodles (崩砂腩撈粗) | 9 | 1.5 | 1 | 3 | 14.5 |
| 3 | Kwan Yu Roasted Meat (君御燒味) |
Soy Chicken Rice | 8.5 | 1.5 | 1 | 3 | 14 |
| 4 | Carbone | Spicy Rigatoni Vodka, Corn Tartufato |
8 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 14 |
| 5 | Via Tokyo | Anything with Matcha or Soft Serve |
8.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 14 |
United States of America
| # | Restaurant | Go-to dish | City | Food (10) | Service (4) | Ambience (3) | Value (3) | Total (20) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Statebird Provisions |
State Bird w/ Provisions, Crispy Pork Belly |
San Francisco | 9 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 16 |
| 2 | Bite into Maine | Maine Lobster Roll | Maine | 9.5 | N/A | N/A | 2.5 | N/A |
| 3 | Wildair | Nduja Toast, Panna Cotta | New York | 8.5 | 2.5 | 2 | 2 | 15 |
| 4 | 167 Raw | Ceviche, Fish Taco, Soup | Charleston | 8.5 | 2 | 2 | 2.5 | 15 |
| 5 | Husk | Chicken Skin, Carolina Gold Rice | Charleston | 8.5 | 2.5 | 2 | 2 | 15 |
| 6 | Prince Street Pizza | Spicy Spring Slice (extra crispy) | New York | 8.5 | N/A | N/A | 2.5 | N/A |
| 7 | Eventide | New England Clam Bake | Maine | 8.5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 14.5 |
| 8 | Eileen’s Cheesecake | Classic Cheesecake | New York | 8.5 | N/A | N/A | 2.5 | N/A |
| 9 | Roberta’s | Bee Sting Pizza | New York | 8 | 2 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 14 |
| 10 | Estela | Beef Tartare, Fried Arroz Negro | New York | 8 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 14 |
So, if you had only three more meals in a city before you had to leave forever, where would you eat? Let me know in the comments below.
