The chef who built a menu out of emojis has done it again.

Bangkok’s Gaggan restaurant has just topped the list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants for a fourth consecutive year.

The Indian eatery, renowned for its 25-course tasting menu illustrated only with emoji symbols, eclipsed stiff competition from Tokyo, with Den and Florilege, taking second and third spots respectively. 

The winners were announced at a ceremony at Wynn Palace in Macau. The list is chosen by a panel of more than 300 food writers, critics, chefs and restaurateurs spanning six geographical regions. Each expert picks 10 restaurants and lists them in order of preference. They must have eaten at every restaurant on their list within the previous 18 months. 

Rounding out the top five were modern German spot Suhring in Bangkok and French restaurant Odette in Singapore.

Read also: Kaum Jakarta named capital's restaurant of the year

In total Tokyo had four restaurants in the top 10, doubling its 2017 tally, with Narisawa coming in at number six and Nihonryori RyuGin at number nine. Bangkok had a respectable showing with Suhring (in fourth place) and Nahm (in 10th) joining Gaggan.

Things weren’t so rosy for Hong Kong, with Amber slipping from third to seventh, and 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana dropping from fourth to languish outside the top 10 at number 13.

Odette was Singapore’s highest ranked establishment, up four places on last year. Restaurant Andre, which bagged the number two spot last year, was a notable absence after chef-owner Andre Chiang closed the doors in February this year.

After his win last year, Gaggan Anand shocked the foodie world by announcing that he would shut down his award-winning restaurant in 2020. He told Bloomberg that he planned to move to Japan and open several new restaurants, drawing on Buddhist principles.

“We have really worked hard, hard to be a stronger team,” he said today before learning he had won. “So whatever the result is today, we party hard and continue to make our guests lick the plates.” 

Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants is published by William Reed Business Media. The World’s 50 Best will be revealed at a ceremony in Bilbao, Spain, in June.

The Winners 

1. Gaggan, Bangkok

2. Den, Tokyo

3. Florilege, Tokyo

4. Suhring, Bangkok

5. Odette, Singapore

6. Narisawa, Tokyo

7. Amber, Hong Kong

8. Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet, Shanghai

9. Nihonryori RyuGin, Tokyo

10. Nahm, Bangkok

11. Mingles, Seoul

12. Burnt Ends, Singapore

13. 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana, Hong Kong

14. Le Du, Bangkok

15. Raw, Taipei

16. Ta Vie, Hong Kong

17. La Cime, Osaka

18. Mume, Taipei

19. Indian Accent, New Delhi

20. L’Effervescence, Tokyo

21. Locavore, Bali

22. The Chairman, Hong Kong

23. Waku Ghin, Singapore

24. Lung King Heen, Hong Kong

25. Minstry of Crab, Colombo

26. Jungsik, Seoul

27. Sushi Saito, Tokyo

28. Il Ristorante – Luca Fantin, Tokyo

29. Les Amis, Singapore

30. Fu He Hui, Shanghai

31. Paste, Bangkok

32. Neighborhood, Hong Kong

33. Eat Me, Bangkok

34. Hajime, Osaka

35. Jade Dragon, Macao

36. Corner House, Singapore

37. Bo Lan, Bangkok

38. Quintessence, Tokyo

39. Issaya Siamese Club, Bangkok

40. Belon, Hong Kong

41. Ronin, Hong Kong

42. TocToc, Seoul

43. The Dining Room at the House on Sathorn, Bangkok

44. Jaan, Singapore

45. Nihonbashi, Colombo

46. Caprice, Hong Kong

47. Shoun RyuGin, Taipei

48. La Masion de la Nature Goh, Fukuoka, Japan

49. Wasabi by Morimoto, Mumbai

50. Whitegrass, Singapore