If the past few years are anything to go by, an announcement being made today will have Hong Kong foodies grumbling in disagreement. The first Thursday in December is the day of the release of the Michelin guide for Hong Kong and Macau, and every year since its debut in 2008 (the 2009 guide), it has whipped up controversy.
That first year, it was revealed that Lung King Heen at the Four Seasons Hotel in Central had received three stars. It was the first time a Chinese restaurant had received top honours, and put it on the level of Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenee, La Maison Troisgros and Michel Bras in France; The French Laundry in the Napa Valley, California, and The Fat Duck and The Waterside Inn in England.
The next year brought the inclusion of Mong Kok dim sum shop, Tim Ho Wan, which had bragging rights as the cheapest one-star restaurant on the planet. Last year, the guide had tongues wagging for bestowing three stars on Sun Tung Lok, best known for its shark's fin dishes, and one star to noodle and congee shop Ho Hung Kee in Causeway Bay and Hin Ho Curry in Shau Kei Wan, whose owner admits adapting the flavour of Indian curries to suit local tastes. The consensus among food lovers was that while Michelin is accurate in its assessment of European restaurants in Hong Kong and Macau, its selection of Asian restaurants is - to put it mildly - puzzling.
However, Michelin is not the only guide in town, and each one adopts its own approach to judging. Michelin appeals more to overseas visitors, who, rightly or wrongly, trust it for Asian restaurants in the same way they do with the guide's European publications.
Hong Kong residents, though rely on other guides for different reasons. Many use the website openrice.com as a first reference about Hong Kong restaurants, to check information such as location and phone number. The site is extensive, listing not only restaurants, but also fast-food places and coffee shops. It's a lot to plough through, though, and the next step is delving into city-focused publications such as the WOM Guide.
When you travel around Asia, The Miele Guide to the top 500 restaurants in the region is a handy reference, and the S.Pellegrino World's 50 Best list is good for international, high-end places.