Tang Li

A SELECTION of local restaurants were recently awarded in the “2011 Modern Weekly Best Restaurants Awards.” Modern Weekly’s annual signature book, “Cuisine Map,” was launched as a cuisine guide in four major mainland cities at a grand presentation ceremony at Grand Hyatt Shenzhen on Jan. 6.

The annual restaurant selection is one of China’s most authoritative cuisine awards organized by Modern Weekly, a national magazine on urban life, and French cognac brewer Martell.

This year’s awards were in six categories: the most recommended restaurants, the best gathering restaurants, the most popular restaurants, the best banquet restaurants, the best decorated restaurants, and the best restaurants. Awarded restaurants, chosen from restaurants in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, covered a wide variety of cuisines including Chinese, Western, and Asian, as well as buffet restaurants, bars and coffee shops.

According to the organizers, the awards were selected by a panel of well-known food critics, senior food editors, cultural celebrities, and readers. The purpose of the awards is to promote not only quality food, but also Chinese culinary culture.

This year’s theme of cuisine by Modern Weekly is “authenticity” in dining. “In Chinese culinary culture, authenticity can mean authentic ingredients and cooking methods. It also refers to enthusiasm in presenting good food to diners,” said Li Zhaoxing, one of the judges and also a popular Hong Kong writer.

The year 2012 also marked the anniversary of Martell Cognac, the sponsor of Modern Weekly’s best restaurant awards for nine years.