I've never had a good impression of Bakerzin's macarons, and my recent experience with them proved my suspicions. While they're are cheaper than most at $1.50 each, I wouldn't even buy them if they were going for $0.10. The shells were disappointingly dry and crumbly; and most of the macarons were so saccharine sweet, the flavors couldn't be discerned. The least atrocious of the lot would be the rose and the chocolate, but they still fared far below my expectation of a decent macaron.

I've been on the hunt for great scones ever since trying Cornish cream tea in England, and am happy to report that Wooden Spoon's version is very decent. Crisp on the edges and crumbly inside, these buttery scones are no doubt a steal at a dollar each. The light egg cakes also pleased with their moist and fluffy texture. I've tried an assortment of their cookies before and found them alright, but I'll rather save my calories for their delicious scones and egg cakes.

If you think vegan food is boring, pay a visit to LivinGreens and you might just change your mind. Aside from conventional dishes like avocado salad and brown rice sets, innovative dishes like pumpkin pie are also available at this casual eatery.The Shepherd's Pie was my favorite dish of the lot. Beneath a layer of mashed potatoes were cubes of carrots, green and red peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes, livened up with a variety of herbs and spices. Though refreshing, some dressing could have been provided with the colorful salad on the side.Layers of tofu paste replaced pasta sheets in the café's take on lasagna ($8.50), which was filled with a mix of vegetables similar to that in the Shepherd's Pie. Honestly, there's nothing like a plate of good ol' cheesy (but diet-unfriendly!) lasagna, but for the calories saved, I wouldn't mind having LivinGreen's wheat-, gluten- and dairy-free version again.The Avocado Pudding ($4) was made from fresh avocado blended with soy milk, sweetened with a syrup of gula melaka and molasses. Though pleasant, the mousse-like dessert could have done with a little less gelatin. I also felt that the small portion of avocado pudding did not justify its price.

My friend and I shared a Cold Poached Chocolate with Kahlua cream ($6.50 each), and while we both enjoyed it, we felt that the chocolate base was a tad too decadent for our palates. A liquid chocolate mix is poured into molds on a cold marble slab and left to solidify to form a circular base, with a texture akin to a rich chocolate mousse. The cold slab of chocolate is then topped with a generous drift of whipped cream lightly spiked with your choice of liqueur- flavors include Bailey's Irish Cream, butterscotch and Kahlua.I guess this dessert is best suited for die-hard chocoholics!

Having dinner at Aoki is a pricey affair, starting from $165++ per pax. But it's possible to get a premium sushi fix at the restaurant without bursting your budget, for Aoki dishes up affordable set meals during lunchtime (at $30++ and above), without compromising on quality or portion size.

Being one who'll never pass on a chance to catch the skillful sushi chefs in action, I opted for a seat at the counter. But the tranquil atmosphere of the restaurant makes it an ideal location to catch up with friends- you should consider sitting at the private booths on the second floor if you intend on doing so.

The meal started off with a tasty braised renkon otoshi ($3++), followed by a simple but refreshing salad- for a dose of fiber and vitamins!Salad tossed in a soy sesame dressingWhat makes Aoki’s mazechirashi an excellent deal is the vast variety of seafood it features. Unearthing the assortment of fresh sashimi piled atop, I discovered pieces of buttery uni, shoyu-marinated ikura, as well as cubes of ebi, tako, shime saba, kanpachi, shiromi, maguro and chutoro. The well-seasoned sushi rice was also topped with delightfully spongy cubes of tamago castella, slices of cucumber, nori strips, shreds of perilla and a dollop of nama wasabi. Needless to say, I polished it all off with much relish!

Colorful tsukemono, pickled ginger and a bowl of prawny miso soup were served along with the mazechirashi.Variety pleases me, and the trio of the dessert miniatures- namely plum wine jelly, smooth milk pudding drizzled with caramel sauce and icy muskmelon sherbet– certainly made for a light but satisfying ending to the meal. A cup of genmaicha was also served to aid digestion- a thoughtful gesture on the kitchen's part!

Food aside, the service was attentive and I loved the pretty tableware. To round it all off, I had great company as well!

The mazechirashi set is priced at $35++.

P.S. Do make a reservation before visiting Aoki as the restaurant can be quite packed at lunchtime. If you're planning to order the mazechirashi, it would be wise to indicate so in your booking- I heard that the restaurant only makes 10 bowls of it a day for lunch. どうぞめしあがれ!