Everyone loves to eat at Din Tai Fung because of their value for money Taiwanese fare, especially the famous xiao long baos which I feel are just as good as Crystal Jade's. In fact these are usually just the only dishes that I order, together with the pork chop fried rice, which is really tasty without being too unhealthy.

The environment is a throwback to classic Chinese architecture and the service is usually prompt and pleasant. The only thing I don't like is that everyone loves to hold gatherings at Din Tai Fung and the chatter that increases exponentially until you can barely hold a decent dialogue with the person opposite you.

Great omakase dinner at Nagomi, which is a small and hidden Japanese eatery at Cuppage Plaza. The chef Nada Satoru used to have a normal menu but he changed it into an omakase menu based on the fresh and seasonal ingredients from Japan.

The place is dimly lit and you have to remove your shoes when you enter. There aren’t many seats, just a counter table of about 8 seats and about 4 tables. The ambiance is definitely cozy and it feels very traditional. The food is excellent and each course is a delight as it is traditional Japanese cuisine with high-quality ingredients that are flown in from Japan.

Please see more photos at http://dirtystall.wordpress.com/2009/10/12/omakase-dinner-at-nagomi/

Oriole Cafe is a rather nice and cozy place to go for a quiet cup of coffee. They're supposed to have one of the best baristas in town as well but I couldn't confirm that since I don't drink coffee.

I tried the beef cheek tagliatelle, and I think it's one of the best dishes on their menu. Soft and tender braised beef cheeks together with red wine reduction sauce make a savoury pasta dish that makes me want more!

However I cannot say the same for their fish & chips, which was too chewy on the crust and not very tasty. 3 portions is value for money but not when you don't really want to eat more of it.

Kaiho Sushi was recommended to me by a friend and I went there to see if his claims were true. I tried their omakase set and while the food is generally good quality, there is a lack of variety in the omakase lineup as each time I went the dishes were 80% the same. That being said, chef Bernard is a very nice and amicable man to chat with while you're eating. Kaiho Sushi then is a rather intimate and subdued place to be at, with a dim lighting and silent waitresses, making it a great place to be with your close friends or loved ones.

Standing Sushi Bar is a recently opened sushi joint which provides fresh and good quality sushi at affordable prices, as compared to Tatsuya and Nogawa. The head chef, Roy, is a very nice and knowledgable person who will recommend the daily specials that have just flown in that day, be it the hamachi belly or wild kanpachi.

They switch from standing during lunch hours to swinging out the chairs after 3pm to prepare for the dinner crowd, where they serve delicious a la carte dishes and the special omakase set dinner, where chef Roy prepares a full course of Japanese dishes not on the menu.

See more reviews here at: http://dirtystall.wordpress.com/tag/standing-sushi-bar/