The fine dining environment of Amber in Hong Kong. [Photo provided to China Daily]

It slipped a little, from No 20 to No 24, but Hong Kong's Amber restaurant remains firmly ensconced on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list this week. It is the only Hong Kong restaurant on the 2017 list and, like last year, joins Shanghai's Ultraviolet by Paul Pariet (No 41) as the only two restaurants in China to be so lauded.

The annual San Pellegrino-sponsored ranking was announced on April 5 at an awards ceremony in Melbourne, Australia.

"It shows that Amber continues to be recognized as one of the relevant restaurants in a highly competitive world," says Amber's chef Richard Ekkebus., "I would like to thank my team for working with me daily, ensuring our guests a consistency in service and dining experience, and keeping us on the list for seven consecutive years is a truly remarkable achievement."

Two other high-fliers on the previously announced 50 Best Restaurants in Asia list, Bangkok's Gaggan and Nahm, claimed the No 7 and No 28 spots respectively on the world list.

Dramatic lighting is part of the multimedia experience of dinner at Ultraviolet. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Asia counts seven restaurants in the 2017 line-up, with China, Japan and Thailand each boasting two entries.

Another restaurant with a China tie, Mauro Colagreco's Mirazur in Menton, France, was ranked No 4 on the list. （Azur by Mauro Colagreco is the fine-dining restaurant at the Shangri-La Hotel, Beijing.

In a vote by his global peers, chef-owner Virgilio Martínez of Lima's Central restaurant claimed the 2017 Chef's Choice award. Martinez has helped propel Peru's status as a foodie destination to new heights with constant research and improvement at his flagship restaurant, Central, the three-time No.1 on the Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants list.