We had the 4 course set lunch ($28++) which I thought was very good value for money.

My first starter of soft pure egg white topped with dried scallop on a bed of fried crispy potato nest was absolutely delish! Love the whole combination and interplay of different textures. I also added a few drops of black or apple vinegar to spruce up the flavours.

This was followed by an aromatic double-boiled black chicken soup which tasted like my grandma’s homecooked soup.

The main course is a trio of braised cod fish, golden fried rice and a stuffed chicken wing. I changed the chicken wing to deep-fried dace fish skin instead and this reminds me of the fabulous fish skin I had in Hong Kong. So crispy and non-oily.

Fresh fish that’s perfectly cooked always seal the deal for me and this cod was especially tasty paired with the salty-tangy sauce of celery and parsley. If I have to nitpick, it’s that the rice would be even nicer if it wasn’t so hard and tough.

Dessert was a bowl of chilled (or hot) double-boiled pear that’s so light and refreshing that it doesn’t even feel like dessert.

Don’t scoff at anything with the word “vegetarian” on it, please. Because the Vegetarian Organic Pancake Lasagna ($16.50) was unbelievably good! Thickness was just right with layers of cheese and zucchini in between the pasta sheets. The magic probably lies in the savoury ”special sauce” which has a tinge of sweetness I suspect comes from applesauce.

High carbs, high fats, low protein. Healthy? Nope. Delicious? Absolutely!

I like hearty salads that prominently feature grains or legumes as they are filling enough as a main dish. Go ahead and feel virtuous with the Les Salades ($15.50) with Organic brown rice, chicken, egg, tomato and pistachio. Heavily spiced and seasoned with herbs, it sounds (and IS) so healthy!

I had cod brandade for lunch everyday while in Verona and Venice not too long ago so I was eager to find out how the homemade version ($8++) here measures up, especially when this is a laborious dish not commonly found in Singapore. While the smooth texture was spot-on, the saltiness was way over the top, even when paired with the accompanying grilled bruschetta.

I like the whole combination of pan-seared Hokkaido scallops ($24++) with jerky-like bacon crisps and balsamic reduction on a bed of eggplant caviar which is somewhat like the Lebanese baba ghanoush.

The frozen ‘deconstructed’ strawberry shortcake ($14++) was such a pretty sight to behold. Love the home-churned strawberry ice cream which was so natural-tasting and had a fabulous creamy mouthfeel. Nothing beats homemade ice cream! And the layers of soft sponge and flaky pastry were a great contrast.

Housed in a beautifully restored, two-storey, black-and-white colonial-style bungalow at Rochester Park, Krish’s food revolves around ‘South Asia influenced European cuisine’, or more specifically, Indian-accented modern European food. Exotic, isn’t it?

I always do my homework before patronising a restaurant so that I know what’s good and what not to order. The spiced carrot ravioli ($16++) has been raved by many online so I wanted a taste of it too! 4 stuffed pasta parcels with a scattering of pomegranate seeds in a sinful ginger-brown butter emulsion that’s surprisingly light and sweet. Very lovely indeed! Now, if only there’s more filling in each pasta…

Instead of risotto, Krish pairs seared U.S. diver scallops ($45++) with truffled lentils and parsley yoghurt. While the scallops were salty and just a tad overcooked, the lentils were wonderful! Soft, almost mushy texture and the flavour of truffles was unmistakably bold. Portion was small enough to be a starter though.

Desserts are not as innovative as the starters and mains. While the presentation of the blackcurrant parfait ($14++) reminds me of the version from 2am: dessert bar, Krish’s rendition is accompanied with a scoop of cardamom-coconut ice cream (I could only make out the taste of the latter) and chocolate sable.

Next to Original Sin, LivinGreens is my favourite vegetarian restaurant. I go to the former when there’s extra cash in the wallet, and to the latter when I just want to have a deliciously-healthy (ya, these 2 words are not mutually exclusive, contrary to popular belief) meal without breaking the piggy bank.

I’m already a regular here and I’ll always, always order the LivinGreens lasagna ($8.50), which is wheat-, gluten- and dairy-free. Every slice of the lasagna contains fresh tomatoes, green and red peppers, carrots, mushroom, and every slice is lip smackingly good with a well-balanced flavour and texture. This is the most sinless lasagna ever created!

My must-have desserts: Avocado Pudding ($4) that combines so perfectly with a syrup of gula melaka and molasses and Black Sesame Pudding ($3.50) that’s incredibly fragrant and has such a smooth texture and clean flavour.