Cleverly perched on a "suspended" standalone area within Republic Plaza, you have to walk up a short flight of stairs from the first floor which will lead you to the sales area with its shelves of gourmet tea as well as the restaurant. TWG can only take about 30 people or so and oozes cosy warmth with its intimate dining area, huge glass windows with translucent curtains coupled with a glass ceiling.

Imperial Rose - I am honestly not a tea connoisseur but the Imperial Rose, which is a specialty brew of TWG, tasted very much like a Chinese tea, 铁观音.

Sandwiches - This came as part of my tea time "Celebration Set". 8 half slices of bread sandwiching prawns, crab meat, foie gras and smoked salmon respectively, it appealed to my visual senses with its presentation. However, even though the bread was nicely toasted, I didn't quite take to them. The crab meat and prawns sandwiches were passable but the smoked salmon was way too salty and the foie gras just didn't come across as appetising, both in smell and taste.

Salmon A La Russ - I can't say much about the smoked salmon except that it was salty and came topped roe. However, the brioche that was served alongside was interestingly good. It actually tasted like croissant - flaky and buttery.

Macarons - Another component of my tea time set, we chose praline, lemon and napolean tea macarons from the 6 or so varieties TWG carries. Personally I still prefer their vanilla macaron, something which they didn't have at that point in time.

Singapore Surprise - Insipid as it looked, the Singapore surprise came highly recommended by the staff. And I was rather impressed. It was essentially vanilla bean creme brulee sans the caramelised layer with bits of strawberries sandwiched in between and served on a tart base. A stellar example of never judging a book by its cover. Best of all, it was part of my set as well.

Crumble - I didn't have much of the crumble so I shall reserve my comments. The ice cream sounded interesting though - Napolean Tea cheesecake ice cream, which was apparently very well received by the aspiring tai tai who sat across from me.

A 3.5 hr tea session cost us about $82, which probably isn't the cheapest place to chill out but for the delightful ambience and earnest service, its probably worth it to dig deep into your pockets just for a relaxing afternoon at this place with your partner or alone with a book.

Pasta Brava has long been acknowledged as one of the top Italian restaurants in Singapore and few would dispute its authenticity and quality. As fate would have it, I dropped by one evening armed with tons of recommendations sourced from friends and a powerful tool called the internet.

Tucked amongst the row of shophouses along Craig Road, which also houses the famous Xi Yan, Pasta Brava is located in a quaint rustic looking unit just opposite a multi story carpark and a community centre. The interior exudes warmth and familiarity with its simplicity and choice of colours, making for a comfortable and homely atmostphere.

Complimentary Bread - Just your normal baguette with a touch of maize. Crisp on the outside but could have been softer and chewier on the inside.

Capesante Alla Cardinale Gratinato (sautéed scallops, flavored with white wine, béchamel sauce, oven glazed) - As much as I'm a fan of scallops, this dish didn't really wow me. There was a consistency issue with the scallops. Some were done just right while others were undercooked or overcooked. And I didn't find them particularly sweet. I simply loved the béchamel sauce though. Creamy with a mildly burnt taste and just great as a dip for the complimentary bread.

Stracci Ai Gamberie Capesante (thin pieces of fresh pasta with scallops, prawns, green peppercorn, white wine, with saffron cream sauce) - The pasta was rolled into nice flat strips that weren't too thick nor flimsy (reminded me of hor fun, just much firmer in texture) while the saffron cream sauce was rich yet didn't threaten to overwhelm. Portions of fresh scallops and prawns were generous which made this dish an excellent order.

Tagliolini Con Aragosta (flat pasta with half lobster in tomato sauce) - The tagliolini was probably a little overcooked, coming across as a tad too soft. However, I appreciated its fragrance and the plentiful crunchy lobster cubes. The base was predominantly olive oil with squashed tomatoes so though oily, it wasn't heavy on the palate.

Torta Di Mele Al Mascarpone E Ricotta Con Gelato (apple pie with mascarpone and ricotta, served with vanilla ice cream) - I thought that the apple pie was a very interesting piece of dessert, with the top layer tasting like light and cheesy lemon cheesecake. The middle layer comprised of apple cubes that were almost tasteless when eaten on its own. Wrapping up the bottom was a nice baked crust. There were raisins in the apple pie to give it a sweetness boost and a scoop of ice cream completed the dish.

Panna Cotta All'Amaretto (italian version of cream caramel without egg, flavoured with amaretto) - Pasta Brava's pride and joy and the most interesting take on this ubiquitous Italian dessert that I've ever tried. On the outside it looked quivery yet firm but stick a spoonful into your mouth and feel it literally disintegrate (very little gelatin), very much like soya beancurd (豆花). Paired with the mildly sweet amaretto, it made for a nice soothing dessert.

Food quality is comforting and so is the excellent service rendered by the friendly owner. Doodling on the table with crayons is encouraged and that adds to the fun factor. Remember to make your reservations!

To be honest, I can't believe that I've never tried Din Tai Fung (鼎泰丰) even though its rather prolific and alot of people have actually tried it. I guess I've been put off by the ridiculously long queues at each of its outlets during meal times. So imagine my glee when I found the crowds wanting at one of its outlet one afternoon.

The place is reminiscent of a typical Chinese restaurant except that this outlet had most of its seating in the open atrium of the shopping mall, which poses a genuine threat of uninvited aerial missiles from the shoppers above.

Tofu - For the price, I honestly didn't expect much. But I certainly wasn't prepared for the onslaught of the minature tofu. I kid you not. The tofu looks small enough to be devoured in just 1 large mouth. Taste wise, it had a high egg content and tasted very normal.

Xiao Long Bao - The dish that Din Tai Fung is known for, its Xiao Long Bao. I can't say that I didn't like it, but it wasn't that much of a mind blowing experience that I had anticipated. The rather dry skin enveloped a mouthful of light broth that flowed out with every nibble. Also, the XLBs didn't carry the strong pork taste which I personally disdain.

Fried Rice with Prawns & Egg - The rice grains were plump and moist, which made for a nice texture. However it lacked the quintessential wok hei and portions were minute to say the least.

I was stuffed at the end of my lunch, but prices here aren't cheap and probably higher then your basic Crystal Jade outlets for the portion sizes. Food quality is decent and service is efficient but rather curt. So much for the legend. But I might just have another go at this place if the crowds are nonexistent.

Dozo - the upscale sibling of Tao's Restaurant that dabbles in fine modern Japanese cuisine. Dozo, which means please in Japanese, operates very much like its little sister, offering only 6 or 7 course set menus with no ala carte option.

Located on the 2nd level of Valley Point along River Valley Road, Dozo's interior oozes sublime chic and sophistication with mainly red velvety plush chairs amidst a black backdrop. Floor to ceilings windows offer a somewhat muted view of the surroundings. Apparently the 3 window side seats on the elevated wooden platform is a hot favourite amongst couples so be sure to make your reservations early.

Flour Sticks & Drink Shots - The flour sticks were, well, flour sticks dusted with chilli flakes and the likes. Nothing too fancy here. As for the 2 shots of mango juice with tons of crushed ice, lets just say I had a hard time trying to get a reasonable amount of liquid into my mouth initially.

Appetiser - You don't get to choose the first course and everyone gets the same thing - scallop, foie gras and smoked salmon, which wasn't too bad really. The scallop was nicely seared with a crisp layer atop but lacked the firm texture that I was looking for. Apart from the foie gras being really small, I thought it was decent but could have been more quivery. I thought that the smoked salmon was quite well done though. Not mind blowingly salty with a nice taut texture sans the raw fishy aftertaste.

nfusion of Cepes Mushroom and Truffle & Crab Bisque - The mushroom soup had bits of mushroom in it and 1 lone black truffle served on a little flat tea spoon by the side, which you can choose to plonk it into the soup or nibble on it individually. I chose the former, which didn't seem to make much of a difference to the soup. Overall still quite decent though but a tad too watery for my liking.

I thought that the crab bisque was rather watered down as well and tasted rather limp even though there were signs of crab meat in the soup.

Tempura Battered Soft Shell Crab on Galette of Mash - The tempura batter was decently thin but lacked any flavour, which made it really bland. On the upside, the crab wasn't too oily and the sesame vinaigrette alongside helped alot in ensuring its palatability.

Gratinated Escargots Topped with Yuzu Butter - A group of 3 escargots came with cheese and Yuzu butter while a solitary one was presented with garlic. Personally I preferred the ones in the cheese as it came across as creamy with a slight chewy texture. The garlic one needed a stronger dose of garlic in my humble opinion.

Beef Tataki with Shaved Parmesan and Truffle Mayo Mosaic - The beef tataki certainly didn't do itself any favours with its dryness but interestingly, a few slices of the beef were wrapped around a crispy flour cylindrical cone which was something different, especially with the truffle mayo. But I can't say that I enjoyed it very much as the beef was bland and relied on the mayo to give it flavour.

Succulent King Crab Claw Salad Drizzled with Sesame Vinaigrette - Freshly succulent, the crab meat (purportedly from Alaska) was complemented by chopped onions and sweet mango, which made it sweet and "oniony" (for lack of a better word) at the same time. With such a delightful centrepiece, who needs vegetables

Baked Atlantic Cod Fillet on Puff Pastry - This dish is interesting in the sense that the cod fillet is literally stuck onto the puff pastry, which can be a pain if you don't wish to have the pastry, especially when its rather tough and unyielding to begin with. However, I've got to give the fish credit for being fresh and firm with a nice crispy layer of skin to boot.

Beef Tenderloin on "Pu Ye" & Granite Hot Stone - To be honest, I am unable to make an accurate judgment on the beef as by the time I was done taking my lousy shots, the 200 degrees celsius slab of granite stone had already cooled considerably and the beef just wasn't sizzling anymore. Maybe due to that, the beef slices turned out soft but still juicy and rather tasteless. A shame really, especially with the excellent asthetics.

Iced Fruity Refresher - You get a choice from a couple of hot or cold teas and its a nice refreshing change from the usual palate cleansers or drinks.

Freshly Baked Warm Chocolate Cake Served with Ice Cream - Puny would probably be one of the adjectives to describe the chocolate cake. The crust was nice but a tad thick while the molten chocolate was of the runny kind. Decent but not really outstanding.

Dozo's "Mo Cha" Creme Brulee - The sugar layer on the creme brulee was a tad too burnt but I appreciated the rather evident green tea taste of the creme brulee. A welcome change from the usual vanilla ones.

Si bon - the upmarket Japanese restaurant at Sentosa that specialises in kushiage, a form of Japanese cooking that involves coating a variety of ingredients with egg and bread crumbs and deep fried. Helmed by Chef Seiichiro Arakawa, Si bon promises a refined kushiage experience equal to what you would experience in Japan itself.

Hidden in a reclusive recess within the Amara Sanctuary Resort at Sentosa, Si Bon occupies a small restored colonial chapel that once housed a nursery (It happens to be the oldest chapel on Sentosa by the way). Seats are scarce, with the counter seating only 13 diners indoors and the charming al fresco area, complete with a water feature and bamboo garden, allowing for only another 10. The interior of the place exudes olden charm stemming from its soaring pointed ceiling and exposed unevenly laid brick walls - a reference to the building's historic origins.

Appetiser - Personally I thought that the appetisers were great. The miso beans were very savoury and complimented the crunchy and bland radish slices very well. On the other hand, the fish pieces were dipped in a salty yet sweet sauce that made got my appetite going.

Prawn - Served with a dollop of what looked like ketchup (someone please tell me what is it cause I have no idea), the prawns were fresh and crunchy with a light and crisp batter coating that didn't threaten to overwhelm or held any oily residue aftertaste.

Scallop - One of my personal favourites of the meal, the scallop was nothing short of excellent. Huge and bursting with flavour (sweet and salty all at once) while the batter came across as light and crisp. A pity it was only 1 piece.

Eel - I'm not exactly a big fan of eel and this one wasn't exactly outstanding. Served with a dash of wasabi atop, the eel came across as rather tasteless and had to be eaten with soya sauce, which just made it, well, salty. I must comment that the wasabi was rather strong though.

Pork Loin - The loin came served with a piece of mint leaf and had to be eaten with mustard sauce. The pork was succulent and juicy with a somewhat moderate tinge of mint taste from the leaf. Nice and refreshing.

Lotus Root - Interestingly, the lotus root had japanese curry powder and chicken thrown along with it - all nicely wrapped up in a light batter casing. Eaten with black sauce, this dish was crunchy and crispy with hints of curry powder. Not exactly my cup of tea though but something different I must admit.

Egg Plant - I usually baulk at the taste of egg plant, but not this one. Topped with white miso and eaten with no sauce, the egg plant was seriously good. Nice and smooth with a tinge of sweetness from the white miso paste.

Enoki Mushroom - Another most interesting concoction, the enoki mushroom was deep fried together with cream cheese and came served with a slice of parma ham atop and drizzled with lemon juice to jazz things up a little. The cream cheese sang in harmonious symphony with the mushroom, resulting in a smooth, creamy and an ever so light sourish aftertaste. I couldn't quite make out the taste of the parma ham in the equation though.

Wagyu Beef - I personally swear by this and I am nothing short of amazed by how wonderful the wagyu beef turned out. Expect nothing less then the best Australian wagyu beef with its excellent marbling and tenderness, dusted with the lightest batter and deep fried till an even crisp. Very full of flavour I must say. Please note that this was an additional order outside of the set and cost a seemingly exorbitant $18++/stick.

Udon - The udon came as an option on the set menu and although I'm not fan of udon, I have to say that it had me hooked. Full of bite and accompanied by slices of chicken, scallop and a stick of snow crab, the udon came across as nice and light on the palate.

Nigiri Sushi - One of the other options in the set besides udon/soba and steamed sushi, the nigiri sushi required a top up of $20++, which netted me a plate of 5 sushi pieces. I can't say I enjoyed this very much because I'm not exactly big on raw stuff but hey I made it through. Everything was very fresh so no complaints.

$174 for a 2 person lunch is definitely a high price to pay, especially when you are eating satay sticks lookalike. But the quality of food is apparent and the experience, eye opening. Top that with excellent customer service and an out of the country ambience and you have a top notch restaurant that is worth many revisits (provided you have the money of course).