Dining Out: The top 5 restaurants in China

SINGAPORE (Reuters Life!) - The Miele Guide to Asia's finest restaurants is written by food experts who know and love the region (www.mieleguide.com).

This list of top 5 restaurants in China, where the gourmet scene continues to develop and innovate at a rapid pace, and is not endorsed by Reuters.

1. Laris, Shanghai

Being the best in Shanghai, let alone China, is no mean feat, but if anyone can achieve it, it's David Laris. His eponymous restaurant is a stunning combination of gastronomy and aesthetics, full of well-heeled gourmands there to savor his sophisticated, contemporary fare that defies staid ethnic labels, while observing society at play in elegant surrounds. Address: 6F Three on the Bund, 3 Zhong Shan Dong Yi Road, Shanghai, China

Tel: +86 21 6321 9922

Website: www.threeonthebund.com

2. Beijing Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant, Beijing

Judging by the line of worshippers that gather outside its doors every evening, it is clear that Da Dong has cultivated itself as a near-mythical experience. This restaurant's masterly 'super lean' Peking ducks boast thin, crisp, caramel skin that dissolves in the mouth with just a hint of fragrant oil.

Address: Nanxingcang International Plaza, 22A Dongsishitiao, Dongcheng District

Tel: +86 10 5169 0329

3. M on the Bund, Shanghai

Since it opened its doors 10 years ago, M on the Bund has been one of the best-loved restaurants in Shanghai, and that's nothing to sniff at in a city where new restaurants spring up -- and shut down -- every week. The cuisine on offer is comfortable and perfectly executed, with deft touches of the Mediterranean and the Maghreb.

Address: 7F No. 5 The Bund

Tel: +86 21 6350 9988

Website: www.m-onthebund.com

4. Jean-Georges Shanghai, Shanghai