Arcane - Central, Hong Kong

I don’t go nuts over movie stars, and models don’t make me blush. David Beckham could walk by and I wouldn’t bat an eye, but I almost passed out when I saw David Chang.

I couldn’t watch more than a single episode of Final Table on Netflix or I’d get palpitations, and few chefs made my heart pound like Shane Osborn.

It is hard to eat Langostines when you can’t really breathe. The sweet tails speed across my palate as Osborn flies across the kitchen, starting this and sauteing that. The leek scramble is smooth and acidic like an artichoke, and the burnt broccoli adds a little edge.

Our theme is fish today...because we ordered all the fish. The Sardine starter speaks to a simple style and clean aesthetic. Frying preserves the juices, and the flattened-and-splayed presentation maximizes the crisp. It makes the sardine more butter than fish in finish.

He sees me staring and locks eyes with me for a brief moment, thinking I have something to say, something relevant to contribute. I look away within seconds because I don’t know what to say. 

The John Dory keeps me speechless; it's a decadent dish of meaty, buttery fish frosted with pale cream and dots of caviar.

I’m still staring and he knows it, until the Sea Bass steals my gaze. It’s effectively undercooked, maintaining a plush and springy in texture with lots of juice inside. It reminds me of the half-cooked filets I had at Alain Ducasse. Keeping the sea bass light highlights the radishes and parsnips, which are surprisingly one of the best executions in this meal.

I'll have my Chestnut Mousse and eat it. It’s silky-sweet; elegance over decadence with ripe cherries and a burnt sugar crust to add some crunch.

We conclude with the world's best creamsicle, a Yuzu and Lemon Posset of magical citrus with highlights of orange blood.

Caneles for the door. So fluffy and fresh they rebound when you take a bite. I haven't had a real one in ten years.

Elegant presentation, sleek lines, linear flavors that are minimalist and maximized, harmonious and clean. Shane Osborn's style It gives every element its own chance to shine, and I love the meticulous attention placed on every single individual item. The demographic is older, more suitable for those who like what they like and want it done in the best way possible, in a way that is unforgettable. 

I will never forget this fantastic chef, but I hope he forgets me soon...the under-dressed woman who dumped caviar all over the table.

Bo Innovation - Central, Hong Kong

Bo Innovation. The 3-star playground of Alvin Leung. 

Within these cerulean walls, the demon chef preys on your darkest foodie fantasies. The food is all the culinary debauchery you can imagine plus a little more. 

The bread course is the first to touch the table, and it lands suspiciously, street-food Egg Puffs peeking from a paper bag. The sweet dessert becomes a savory ham sandwich with chives and the legendary Yunnan pork.

The first course of Corn is elote in gestalt. A pudding-cream glues the kernels into sweet surrender, and a gentle flash of Pat Chun vinegar highlights the corn.

Clever. You experience the meticulous arrangements before you even taste the food.  Prepare for your next dish from your pull-out drawer of silverware. It creates a strangely significant sense of autonomy, the ability to select your own utensils without relying upon the swiftness of a server.

Watch the lights flicker on under a powerful vial of shrimp oil. 

See it, breathe it in as it sweeps across each preparation of Brittany Lobster. Let the floppy slices of shaved truffle fold over each morsel of sweet lobster meat and slivery tartare. 

The oil brightens the lobster with fishy umami notes, and the creamy whipped potatoes add a slip of silk to the texture. Resist the temptation to eat everything separately - the collaboration of flavors turns exceptional unimaginable. 

A Hokkaido Scallop. Tender and meaty, soft but mighty. The peas are along a similar vein, and their sugar submits to the Shanghai vinegar.

Let the Foie Gras awaken your list for the liquid liver. Charcoal mantou encase and isolate the fat, making room for the structured theme of the bamboo. Add pomelo pulp for contrast.

The plating honors its purpose as the scaffolding that built the city.  

You can’t look away from these, the X-treme XLB. A fragile yolk of seaweed houses a savory broth within. The wrapper is thin and slick, and it easily gives in your mouth. The bubble bursts to and your mouth fills with porky soup.

An imperial cup carries a palate cleanser of juices pea flower, a dash of citrus, and a dab of mou tai. The green creates a refresher that gives finishes both gentle and lush. 

A supple block of Haida Gwaii Black Cod lounges across mushroom cliffs, waiting under an umbrella of Iberico ham. Almonds add a little nutty savor, and they sail across pork broth sea.

The Suckling Pig Leg will make you feel dirty despite its skin so clean. The skin is so crisp it splits without shearing, and the white meat of the leg simply floats away on your tongue.

There’s a sharp salad of raw greens in a spunky vinaigrette when your palate needs a reset.

And there’s a red-hot roasted pineapple with Sichuan peppercorns when you need to be more seduced.

A chicken bowl for the Chicken Rice. A ricey soup or a soupy rice? It tastes like risotto but they use no cheese or cream. 

Dried abalone and dried foie gras are shaved on top at tableside.

No Shark Fin. 

They found some agar strips to approximate the texture. It’s gelatinous and stringy, like jelly vermicelli, a humane dessert I can eat with zero guilt. 

Even their post-dinner Jasmine Tea is transforming.

The pod blooms as the tea steeps.

Bo Innovation is as seductive as it is fascinating. This tasting menu scratches an itch so deep you didn’t know you had it, and it opens a world of flavor and skill the likes of which you’ve never seen. This kitchen cooks up a powerful combination of everything I’ve ever loved: science, food, and fat.

Quinary - Central, Hong Kong

Did you know there's a World 50 best list for bars? I didn't, but I learned that Quinary ranks a solid #54 this year and it's been top 50 several times.

We had a few - how could we not? I'm not used to craft cocktails, but I'm surprised at all I've learned. For starters, they are seamless. Nothing sticks out, and that is what makes them special. There's no strong alcoholic burn, no lingering liquors, just a coherently flawless flavor and feeling. Sometimes it's a single note and sometimes it's a symphony. 

Their monthly special, the Chasing Apples, is like a sweet pink champagne. The gin meshes with not-too-fruity apple cordial, and umeshu add some fruity tang. The champagne adds a the carbonated finish that lifts the drink and gives it some traction.

I’ll admit, pretty far out of my element with high-class cocktails. I know enough to like and appreciate them but not enough to really rank. I just hope those berries were edible. I think they were currants, and I hope they were currants...whatever they are, I’m not dead yet.

Jack and Coke with JD smoked wood chips. I had my doubts, but the ratio of jack to coke is impressively smooth, and the smoke adds depth to the coke and brings out the molasses. The smoke lingers and reverses through the nose, and suddenly you're immersed in a mason jar experience, not just sipping a drink. 

These cocktails are curiously strong, and their strength will accumulate if you don't eat in between. Their menu has all the best bar foods, including these real Truffle Fries.

There's a Prosciutto Platter of abundance that hits the spot as well. 

The best Old Fashioned in the world is served. The balance of bitters amplify the bourbon, and the harmony is a gift.

My Barrel Aged Sidecar is a bit of a road-trip. It doesn’t carry the weight I would expect from the Hennessey, but it blends well with lemon and Cointreau for much smoother ride.

If you're looking for bumps, the Dark & Stormy Intense is a thrill. The ginger and more ginger clashes and crashes into the rum. 

I love this bar. The ambiance is perfect, and it’s too classy to be so unassuming. It's sexy and chic but tourist-friendly enough to not make you self-conscious. They make some fantastic cocktails, and world’s 50 best or not, they're definitely my top three.