There’s no menu at Pietro Porcu’s homey restaurant. Instead, expect whatever the Sicilian-born chef happens to be cooking up that day. Using seasonal produce plucked from the Porcu family farm, meals feature the likes of suckling pig, tender roasted barramundi, and fregola-a grain similar to couscous, native to Sardinia. The wine list is exclusively Italian, highlighted by number of rare Sicilian Pinot Biancos and Moscatos. 95 Toorak Rd., South Yarra; 61-3/9866-5975.
The Yeohwa Resort (86-599/523-8999; yeohwahotels.com; doubles from US$91) in Wuyishan is a good place to base yourself when exploring the area. The 204-room hotel has a spa and a couple of decent restaurants and can organize tours to nearby sites.
For a less exclusive experience, Yung Kee (32-40 Wellington St., Central; 8521/2522-1624) is a local institution that has grown from a humble food stall into a sprawling restaurant. Expect classic Cantonese fare like roast goose and barbecued pork.
A marathon in the making, Legation Quarter (23 Qianmen Dong Dajie, Chongwen; legationquarter.com) is starting to realize the design potential that restaurateur Handel Lee saw for it when he took on the restoration project four years ago, The site of the U.S. Embassy during the Qing dynasty, the complex is a string of five century-old Neoclassical buildings that flank a grassy courtyard, already popular among Beijing’s smart set.
This new open-air bar-cum-resfaurant features Gothic black chandeliers and cozy sofa seating. The cuisine adds a modern twist to Indian, Thai, Chinese, and Indonesian favorites. Don’t miss the “grilled” cocktails with charred citrus fruits, elderflower essence, and long pepper-infused vodka. J1. Petitenget 19X, Seminyak; 62-367/737-809.
From its “great style” to its “fun atmosphere,” the W Seoul effort-lessly keeps competitors at bay. You favored this ultra modern mountainside sanctuary for its “functional” interior designs and the fact that everything from its spa to its restaurants were clearly “up to the mark” (82-2/465-2222; www.whotels.com). Continue reading »
Set on KL’s bustling Jalan Bukit Bintang, the 443-room hotel has earned renown for its choice of “great restaurants and service.” Prime among local foodies are six innovative dining options, including the extraordinary pan-Asia fare EEST and a Cuban bar and Latin grill at Qba (60-3/2731-8333; starwooodhotels.com).
Once again, Oberoi Delhi’s fusion of “modern feel” and “Old World style” had you swooning. You found that besides a superb location, it had a “great Thai restaurant” coupled with a “cozy ambience” that provided a respite from the hustle and bustle of the city (91-11/2436-3030; oberoidelhi.com). Continue reading »
Adjacent to the skyscrapping Petronas Twin Towers, this Mandarin Oriental offers “far-reaching views overlooking the lush KLCC Park.” Readers gave top marks for everything from the hotel’s rooms and restaurants to service, making it “the perfect place to stay, whether for business or pleasure” (60-3/3280-8888; mandarinoriental.com).
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