“Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” — Albert Einstein.

Ok actually my mother just wanted to check out Whole Earth after my aunties recommended the place to her.

We didn’t order the appetizers ($3), yet they are not complimentary. The Seaweed chips are just fried beancurd skin. I didn’t try the other appetizer which is some vegetable soaked in vinegar.

My mother wanted to try the Olive Rice ($6) which was one of the chef’s recommendations in the menu. We were quite disappointed because it tasted quite like ordinary fried rice.

However, I kinda like the quality of rice that was used which is not the typical thin grain Thai rice. I was also thankful that the rice wasn’t oily.

The Nonya curry ($16) was not too spicy and was slightly sweet. Good for those who cannot stomach spicy food. But the portion is really quite small. I wouldn’t really recommend this.

Another healthy dish, Fresh Greens with Jade Bailing Mushrooms ($15)! The mushrooms were firm yet easy to chew and the texture is not too rubbery.

My family loves spicy food so for us to pass up the Tom yam soup ($15) is simply out of the question. It was spicy enough to satisfy me. Although I don’t really like sour food, I feel that the tom yam soup would deserve more marks if it was slightly more sour. There were generous servings of vegetables and lemongrass in it.

In fact, my brother loved the tom yam soup so much that he suggested we should try the Tom Yam Fried Rice ($6) too. It wasn’t that spicy but it was definitely better than the olive fried rice.

The Fried Mee Suah ($6) was a little bit oily but still acceptable. I don’t have anything else to comment. Haha.

I strongly recommend the 5-Spice Ngor Hiang Roll ($10)! Not only is it value for money, I like its presentation too. Finally something that looks more interesting than soup or rice. Haha! Yeah it tastes good too, just remember to dip it into the sweet sauce. Not too much though!

For those who love your greens might wanna consider the Sambal Kangkong ($12). I will not compare it with the non-vegetarian version because it it ultimately the belachan that brings out the flavor in this dish.

It’s nice to go on a vegetarian diet once in a while and it’s also interesting to see how people can get creative coming up with meatless dishes!

Total bill came to about $100 after 10% service charge.

Sitting at the counter is not a likely option for me whenever I go to Japanese restaurants because I prefer to look my dining companion in the eye when conversing. This time round, I’m here at Nogawa Restaurant.......

The Special Sushi Set ($30) is only available during lunch and it comes with chawanmushi, miso soup and cut fruits.

It was my first time coming across Akagai Sushi (Ark-Shell) and bravely, I tackled it first. It was surprisingly chewy and rubbery but I found it difficult to chew to the point whereby I could swallow it properly. There was a tug-of-war going on between my teeth, telling me to continuing chewing, and the back my tongue which was calling out to me to give up the fight and just swallow it all. Don’t ask me who won

The Tako Otsumami Sushi (Boiled Octopus) was tender and slightly sweet. It was definitely easier to chew.

I was totally invigorated after eating the Salmon Sushi and Maguro Sushi (Tuna). The raw fish were thickly sliced and very fresh, which shouldn’t come as a surprise since all fish (except Salmon) are imported from Japan on a daily basis.

Be warned! The Kohada Sushi (Shad) is definitely not for the faint-hearted! It has an extremely strong fishy taste and smell. If you are having any of the sushi sets, you may wanna inform the chef to spare you from it and I’m sure he will be glad to prepare something else for you.

I was really glad that I left the Futomaki and Negitoro (Minced Fatty Tuna) to serve as my own palate cleanser for getting rid of the lingering fishy taste.

The Chawanmushi was not particularly rich but I closed an eye upon finding a fairly generous piece of prawn. Yes, I’m superficial.

The service here is impeccable and at closing time, we witnessed the chefs and kimono-clad waitresses ushering out the customers as they stood to leave.

I will return, I’m sure.

Special Sushi Set cost me $35 after GST.

La Villa’s location is kinda interesting because it is housed within the old school premises of River Valley Primary School and is just a few bus stops away from Clarke Quay. It comprises an indoor dining area, an alfresco dining area, a bar, and an open garden.

For obvious reasons, we opted for the Set Lunch ($26++). Complimentary bread in basket was served shortly after we placed our orders. Took a small piece. It’s warm! Ok plain bread is just plain bread. And i say: Do away with the bread! We really don’t need this..

I had the Tortilla rolled with crab meat salsa as my starter. Crispiness was just right. Kinda reminded me of the breaded fishfingers I used to have as a little kid

Tadah! Introducing.. The ‘La Villa’ Fish and Chips! The two other available choices for the main course were lasagna and beef ragout. When the fish and chips were placed before me, I thought that the color of the fish looked quite pale and sickly. It’s not your usual golden brown fish. Texture was different as well. It was dry but not particularly crispy. But hey, I’m not complaining! I enjoyed the fish for its hint of herbs too. However, the fries were mediocre.

Homemade chocolate cake with pistachio ice cream for dessert! Homemade, in other words, La Villa in this context. No prizes for guessing why I chose this. Haha. To sum things up, my lunch ended on a sweet note!

Waiters were quite attentive, refilling our glasses every now and then, and clearing our plates almost as soon as we were done. The set lunch is updated every week so do check things out on their website!

I am not afraid to admit that I’m a sucker for ambience. So Oomphatico’s it was! I love its bright, cheery and not forgetting, very girly atmosphere.

My friend and I shared half a dozen Canadian oysters ($18). A very refreshing start.

I had the Duck leg confit risotto ($15). It was creamy but not too cheesy. A little too dry and starchy for my liking. On the overall, it tasted kinda bland. Apart from what is seen in the photo, there were shreds of meat and juicy bits of porcini mushroom. I didnt like the pine nuts though. Portion was kinda big and I didnt manage to finish it. Maybe my mind was subconsciously telling me to leave room for desserts, as usual

I thought that the Pistachio mud pie ($9) sounded good and was looking forward to it. However, it was kinda disappointing and lacking in ‘oomph’. The accompanying chocolate sauce was a bit on the watery side. My friend found it sweet so perhaps there is something wrong with my tastebuds.

Although Oomphatico’s is not all that phantastic, it’s a lovely place for some girly get-together!

The study buddy is a bad influence. We wanted to just have ice cream at Gelare since we weren’t exactly very hungry but upon seeing Saizeriya Italian Restaurant, we marched in because the study buddy wanted to try the escargots there.

The layout of the place reminds me of the Facebook game, Restaurant City! The entire area was fully utilized and packed with people of all ages. It’s not difficult to see why, given their wallet-friendly prices!

These are the Oven baked escargots (6 for $5.58) that we had been waiting for. They tasted strongly of garlic and herbs. Thumbs up from the both of us!

The study buddy decided to get the Cheese scallops (6 for 5.98) only when we were still placing our orders with the waitress. I think almost everything on the menu is under $10 so people tend not to think twice about their choices! Good thing is, the scallops were awesome! Crusty cheesy surface with juicy scallops underneath. Yummy!

I would say this is a rather unadventurous choice of Cheese chicken chop ($7.18). The study buddy remarked that the chicken wasn’t tender enough, plus the tomato and cheese were not evenly spread. Thus, some parts were sour while others were cheesy.

When I spotted the Squid ink risotto ($5.98) on the menu, I knew I just had to order this. Squid ink is something I have always wanted to try, but didn’t have the guts to do so. The idea of walking around with black stained teeth and lips is totally appalling. However, I was feeling kinda game about having black stained teeth that evening, so I thought why not!

I must say that this is one good ol’ risotto! Better than the one I had elsewhere. It was rich and much creamier accompanied by a very delicate taste. The only thing is that it really didn’t look appealing. When it arrived, we were laughing so hard.

Well, the risotto wasn’t exactly very perfect. There were three sticky lumps of rice which I decided not to touch. On the overall, I would say that my very first experience eating squid ink risotto was an extremely pleasant one! I’m glad that Saizeriya offers this dish at such a low price. Instead of going to fancy restaurants, this is definitely a good place to try squid ink! Just don’t pick a table near the window! ;)