2 restaurants in China are in Asia's 50 Best... guess where?

Hint: we've been left out again!

Yesterday, Asia's 50 Best Restaurants for 2017 were announced at the awards ceremony in Bangkok. Unfortunately for foodies in the capital, none of our local hotspots were included – not Temple Restaurant Beijing, not The Georg, not Okra 1949, not Migas, not Cai Yi Xuan – nada, nothing.

However, the Mainland hasn't gone completely unacknowledged, and if you want to try out some of the best restos on the continent then it's as easy as hopping on a fast train. Shanghai snagged a couple of spots on the list, with two restaurants ranked among some of the very best in Asia. While it's one less win than last year, they still beat us so we shouldn't judge too harshly.

Paul Pairet's Ultraviolet

Coming as no surprise, 50 Best veteran Paul Pairet took the number 8 spot with his multi-sensory dining concept Ultraviolet, down one spot from number 7 at last year's awards. While past years (including 2016) have also seen a place for his well-loved French restaurant Mrs & Mrs Bund, we're sad to say that this it year it fell from the list.

'The Garden' course at Fu He Hui

Coming in at number 48 was Shanghainese team Fang Yuan and Chef Tony Lu's refined vegetarian restaurant Fu He Hui, a three-storey temple to vegetarianism housing a museum-worthy display of Ming and Qing dynasty furniture and art pieces. The restaurant saw a huge drop this year, however; falling 30 spots from their 2016 place at number 18.

There was one good bit of news for us here in Beijing. Renowned chef Umberto Bombana – aka the jolly guy pictured above and the culinary crusader behind the excellent Opera Bombana – received The Diners Club Lifetime Achievement Award.

Umberto Bombana's digs in Beijing.

Fondly known as 'the king of white truffles', Bombana is also the man behind Shanghai's 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana, whose original branch in Hong Kong is the only Italian restaurant outside of Italy to have been awarded three Michelin stars. Congrats to a lifetime of culinary excellence, Chef B!

Some superlative deliciousness from Opera Bombana: the 'Trio of Pistachio'

Hit 'Read more' to read our review of Opera Bombana and wind up very, very hungry.