Liang court is best known for its Eastern-influenced culture and mall tenants, such as giant bookstore Kinokuniya, Meidi-Ya supermart and a dozen of authentic Japanese eateries. Unlike my Japanese-obsessed friends (okay, I'm being a little stereotypical here), Liang court is one place that I would put last on my "to-go list". First, prices are jacked sky-high there, because everyone claimed their goods are air-flown all the way from Japan. Second, the mall is out of my vicinity. Third, I could probably count the number of shops with my fingers (and toes). It is just not worth the trip, and the travel fare as well.

Well, not until recently when I visited their restaurants, such as Ryoshi Sushi Ikeikemaru, Tampopo and Yayoiken. Talking about Yayoiken, my bestfriend is forever raving about this latest addition at Liang Court. I am not going into the history, just that a whopping 125 years of history since their first humble outlet in Kayabacho, Tokyo was just incredible.For their oh-so-beautiful menu, expect to find hamburger steaks, fried cutlets and fillets alongside with "more typical Japanese cuisine", such as tempura, sashimi and bento sets. My friend had Hire Katsu Set (S$16.90) the last time and was so tempted to order it again. I did the honour of savouring the pork cutlets, well.. in his place. Deep-fried to mere perfection, what's hidden beneath the crispy golden-brown skin is a combination of soft and juicy tenderloin cut, accompanied by the little traces of lard. I tell you what's better, pair it with the sweet sauce. Foodgasm. Oh, it is deep-fried, so don't expect it to be healthy, but do yourself a huge favour by eating the veggies.Wafu Hamburg set (S$14.90) of either beef and pork/pork hamburg is best if you want a bite of everything for a portion of the price. I expected nothing less of the hamburg steaks, but the ebi tempura did surprised me. Fresh, succulent shrimps encased in just the right amount of fried bread crumbs. Let me tell you what's better, the sauce is not just any ordinary mayonaise. The closest resemblance I could relate to is the filling of egg-mayo sandwich. It comes complete with baked potato and boiled french beans as well.

Before I go on, Yayoiken does serve free-flowing Japanese steamed rice. Oh, how good is that! Although I am quite sure that you can't finish more than two bowls of rice along with your mains. Try it and prove me wrong. I'd treat you another bowl of rice. If you happened to need something to quench your thirst, Japanese green tea is highly recommended. Both hot and cold versions are reasonably priced at S$1, with the former being refillable.Recently, Yayoiken is offering hotpots at promotional price (as of Apr 13), my bestfriend had Gyu Sukiyaki (S$19.50) which proves to be equally satisfying with an abundance of seasonal vegetables, beef slices and glass noodles (although I bet he longed for the pork cutlets). Food to warm your body and soul? This is it.

You should have seen the grin on my bestfriend's face when I said that Yayoiken was worth every cent. Well, that probably sums up everything.

With highly accessible outlets throughout Singapore, I wouldn't be at the least surprised if Ichiban Sushi comes straight to your mind when someone mentions Japanese cuisine. At Ichiban Sushi, one might opt for a wide range of conveyor belt sushi and sashimi, a la carte, as well as various promotional platters, udon and rice sets.

It was quite some time I visited Ichiban, and I thought why not have a good dinner before my wisdom teeth surgery? And so I did. I am sure that those who had their's plucked out would understand the agony of not being to savour any kinds of food. Before the dishes and hot ocha had even arrived, the waiter(esse)s had already scored high, impressing us with their amiable and pleasant services.We ordered the Ishiyaki Jyu Set (S$18.90) - a value set consisting a portion of oyako-don, pan-fried prawns and salmon, chawanmushi, miso soup, as well as a serving of fresh fruits. While the seafood was nothing to rave about (and a tad dry too), the Oyako-don (below) was spectacular. The chicken was tender and juicy, constantly tempting one to take the second bite. You know what's better? Pairing it with the roughly-mixed eggs, which complements the chicken so well, brings the Japanese classic up, yet to another level.Sukiyaki Wafu Set (S$18.90) caught my attention the moment I looked at the menu. As a beef connoisseur, I do have a certain expectation of my steak. The Wafu steak was pre-cut to mouth-sized slices, enabling easier consumption and what's expected on your part is to control the doneness. Although the broth was slightly heavy on the salt, the succulent beef slices which I had it done medium-well, was nothing less than satisfying with a dip of egg yolk. It comes complete with a side dish of baked cheese and tuna, Japanese steamed rice, miso soup and fresh fruits.

What's better than having a good, hot sukiyaki in the winters? Oh God, I nearly forgot that Singapore is on summer-mode all year round.All in all, Ichiban Sushi proves to be a great place for casual, yet quality Japanese comfort food in a friendly atmosphere.

Nestled within the premises of downtown Orchard, TheBigIdea Group's Marmalade Pantry integrates well into Ion's concept with its beautiful open-dining atrium - an enticing haven for diners, filled with chic furnitures and luxury comfort food, such as their legendary cupcakes, weekend brunches and dinner mains such as favourites Truffle Field Mushroom Risotto and Oriental Grilled King Salmon (S$26).The latter was an innovating fusion of Japanese and Western with a slab of good ol grilled salmon and cucumber-paired soba noodles. For non-soba eaters like myself (partially because of the heavy wheat taste), fret not, for the "wheaty" flavour was toned down heavily in this smooth and crunchy delight.One year has passed since my previous birthday, and lo and behold, I am back once again at Marmalade and had ordered the same dish - coincidentally. Seemingly fated to Seared Scallop Linguini (S$24), this tantalising signature was my first choice for the two occasions. The pasta was cooked slightly less than al dente this time round, but the succulent seafood and robust flavour of the dried shrimps were definitely a thumbs-up.

Pork and Fennel Seed Sausage Lasagna (S$24) was another favourite of myself (and "Dad-in-law" who literally wolfed it down in minutes), with all the parmesan goodness which is complemented by a good load of minced pork and mushroom slices. It comes complete with refreshing garden salad.Out of the four, Classic Snapper Pie ($26.00) did not hit the mark. Hidden beneath the crispy crust was quite a miserable amount of snapper, piled together with fennel and mash. The snapper flesh was too dry and flaky for my liking, which gave me another reason not to order this in the future.All in all, Marmalade Pantry is an ideal place to have a weekend brunch/dinner, or perhaps a relaxing afternoon high tea after a day of strolling in the world-class shopping district.

*Marmalade Pantry is having a 1 to 1 promotion for all mains (Mon-Fri, up to 2 mains) for all NTUC cardholders till 30 June 2013*
^^Oh well. Another reason to visit.

At the outskirts of Orchard Road lay Five & Dime, where drivers and passer-by find it hard to be missed with its one of a kind vintage-chic facade. Stepping into the restaurant was like entering a space of nostalgia - soft sunlight streaming through their ceiling-high glass panels, rustic wooden furniture arranged neatly on their tessellated mosaic flooring of white and black tiles, and my favourite childhood snacks (chocolate waffles and sweets, ooh~) placed inside several glass containers.Five & Dime serves one of the best brunches in Singapore with dishes, such as their highly acclaimed Eggs Benny (S$17) - an orchestra of hollandaise-drenched poached eggs set upon slices of smoked ham and toasted brioche, alongside with the complementation of breakfast potatoes, vinaigrette-tossed mesclun greens and fruit salad in a cute orange ramekin.Take comfort in their sandwiches as well, like how their classic Egg Mayo & Bacon Panini (S$12) sent oohs-and-ahhs to my buddy who devoured this in minutes. Savoury, flavourful and a burst of textures within slices of perfectly toasted panini. Oh, and it comes complete with a potato salad.One's meal is never complete without desserts. A friendly staff recommended a towering dessert of strawberries and cream set upon some crisps (can't remember name) which is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth. To be honest, not very "wow-inducing" for the hefty price though..In a nutshell, Five & Dime Eatery definitely makes it up to one of my favourite brunch places with its extensive variety of brunch and dinner dishes. Although slightly overpriced, why worry about spending a few extra bucks on an occasional splurge?

Embracing the motto "eat well, be well", Cedele advocates positive eating and attitute with healthy food crafted by artisans who uses only the finest ingredients. They also boast that no trans fats are involved in the making of their food and that all food are made from scratch. For myself, I have frequented Cedele more than a few times for their tantalizing tea time snacks (they have one of the best red velvet cakes) and as a matter of fact, I have only eaten their mains merely once before.

A quick browse through the menu, and I had decided on Beef Balsamic Mushrooms (S$24.50), which was a larger version of their Beef and Mushroom salad. The supposedly "medium" Sirloin beef stripes were slightly overcooked, and were served together with pan-glazed mushroom, potato patty and garden greens. Succulent and juicy? Yes, but it would be so much better if it was doned medium. On a side note, the crusted potato patty was pretty awesome though.Another of their signature mains, Citrus Lemon Salmon (S$22.90) - a combination of grilled salmon garnished with a splash of lemon juice, potato patty and garden greens. The salmon was a tad overcook as well, resulting in the flaky texture on the meat. Well, I still prefer my salmon with a touch of pink in the center. This dish kinda made it, but there was nothing much to rave about.All in all, Cedele is a great restaurant to sit back and watch the world passed by, with a good ol slice of velvet cake and cuppucinno. I wouldn't say that their mains are that awesome, but do give their pastries a try someday. You'll be in for a surprise.