"When Amber opened in 2005, fine dining in Hong Kong was, for the most part, all about stuffy, old-fashioned French food, with everything flown in from Europe. Chef Richard Ekkebus arguably changed all that, first translating ingredients like Japanese sea urchin into dishes fit for a modern European culinary lexicon, then, with its refurbishment, overseeing a pivot toward a radically pared-back form of fine dining, leaning into East Asian fundamentals like wild vegetables, dashi, and steaming. Amber tops most restaurant guides and lists, internationally and globally, so book well in advance. [$$$$]" - Janice Leung Hayes