How to choose a restaurant
1. Rolle Chateau
Rolle Chateau is the top boutique luxury hotel alliance with 550 hotels and restaurants in 64 countries.
Becoming a member of Rolle Chateau is not easy. The barriers to entry are extremely high. You have to pass the 5C's rigorous exam and pay a very high fee.
Even if you join the club, if you don't pass the regular anonymous spot-checks, you'll be disqualified.
So joining Chateau is the "highest guarantee".
If you're traveling and looking for an upscale restaurant, you may want to make it a priority to see if there's a Loreley Chateau in your area.
Additionally, Lorelei Chateau's restaurant could be a Michelin restaurant - after all, it has signed up for 372 Michelin stars.
2. Asia top50 or Global top50
These two lists are definitely no less prestigious than Michelin.
Organized annually by the venerable British business press, Michelin is known as the "Oscars of the restaurant industry" and is recognized as the world's most reliable guide to fine dining.
In terms of volume, only 50 companies were chosen, which shows the level of scrutiny.
3. Michelin
Michelin does not say much. It is a treasure trove of foodies, the bible of the food world. According to eat very difficult to step on mine.
In addition to the list of China, I have to say that Michelin experts do not know much about the profound Chinese cuisine. Reviews are all Cantonese food, obviously there are so many delicious.
4. Other niche food lists
Find a local food website or app and check out its listings.
For example:
Yelp, go to a European country and basically have it done by it.
Tabelog, a must-have for Japan, a library of Japanese food reviews.
MangoPlate, the Korean version of Dianping.
OpenRice covers almost all Asian countries.
TripAdvisor, the world's #1 travel review site for more countries.
:How to book a restaurant
Reservations
1. Official website, phone call
Many restaurants in Japan can't be booked through a website or email, and you'll need to make a phone call, but not every restaurant speaks English, and they don't always accept reservations from overseas.
2. Ask a local friend or hotel to help you make a reservation.
This solves the language barrier and the problem of overseas reservations being rejected in the last method of booking.
3. Third-party platform
Used the Japanese pocketconcierge, which is a website specializing in Japanese fine dining reservations. There are quite a few restaurants you can stay at, and it's very easy to order with your mouse.
4. Taobao
Find a reputable reservation for lazy people.
5. Overseas secretaries of some high-end credit cards
For example, China Merchants Bank's Centurion Platinum and Black cards are not many in China, so you can look at your credit card benefits.
:Discounted eating
1. twig
Many famous Japanese restaurants have opened branches. The food and service aren't too bad, but the price difference isn't.
2. Lunch
Lunch is generally much cheaper than dinner in Japanese restaurants.
For example, the three Michelin-starred Lady's Pavilion in Kyoto is 19,000-25,000 yen for lunch and 25,000-38,000 yen for dinner.
3. Credit card activities
JCB in Japan will launch some activities from time to time. For example, by the end of the year, JCB Platinum Card can be used twice for one person, and there are many restaurants supported by the activities. For more details, please go to light.com.
Well, these small-scale sorting methods actually work quite well. You can learn from them while traveling in Japan. Good luck to everyone eating well!