Currently in Asia; will return next year.

There was lots of humming and hawing about which countries to visit.  The Maldives was very high on the list for the longest time – the W Maldives is a draw – but flights didn’t work out well enough and I figured it’d best to combine this with a trip to Dubai and India instead. Thailand and the Philippines were both knocked off the list from the get-go as I’ve sadly no interest in visiting.  Indonesia made the list but will wait until after the rainy season. Vietnam – oh, the food! – remains a key and crucial stopping point (Cousin Ora is there as I type this) but it shall have to wait till the next journey.  Taiwan remains on the list for food, food, food and I still might pay a surprise visit. And China, well, G’s been and been.

So, in the end – in no particular order – the following locales won my attention. 

Hong Kong
Will be through Hong Kong three times during the trip.

 

Singapore
Again a couple stops here during the trip.

 

Malaysia
Sojourning a week on Datai Beach, Langkawi; and a couple days in Kuala Lampur.

 

Cambodia
To visit Angkor Wat but of course.

Japan
A dozen days in the best place in the world to be, Tokyo  … and a even a planned visit with the Emperor (sorry no photos).

 

There are, of course, several fabulous dinners booked for this trip including:

• dinner at the 8-seat Tapas Molecular Bar in the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo;
• dinner at Aronia de Takawaza, which Food & Wine Magazine rated as one of the World’s Top 10 Life-Changing Restaurants. I have been corresponding with Chef Takawaza’s wife, Akiko, since February this year to secure a reservation at this 4-seat restaurant;
• lunch at the 9-seat Asagi, the famed Japanese tempura restaurant in the Ginza;
• dinner at the very French Brasserie Les Saveurs in Singapore;
  
• late night desserts at Aqua in Hong Kong;
  
• dinner at SkyBar in Kuala Lumpur as we gaze out onto the Petronas Towers;
  
• lunch at the very French Tateru Yoshino Shiodome in Tokyo to experience a Japanese master do french cuisine and,
  
• lunch at the famed New York Grill high atop the Park Hyatt Tokyo.

There are, of course, several adventuresome dinners booked as well, including:

• dinner at The Touich Restaurant outside of Siem Reap; 
• dinner at Jalan Alor in Kuala Lumpur; and,
• dinner at The Gulai House, sitting nobat style, in Langkawi.

If you’re hanging out in these areas and want to meet B&G live and in the flesh, email.