Restaurant Hoshigaoka is perched on level 4 of Shaw House. As far as I can tell, it's not accessible via the main escalators running up from Isetan to Lido on level 6. You would have to get onto level 4 via escalators within Isetan itself.

Maybe it''s the locale ,but even during peak period at dinner time, the restaurant was pretty much empty and quiet. We were welcomed by a waiter and ushered promptly to our seats. Salmon Don - $14.50
I ordered the Salmon Don which was a very simple dish indeed - raw salmon served on a bed of sushi rice. Simple, yet eloquent. The thin pieces of salmon were fresh and literally melts in the mouth. Dipped in light soy sauce, it went really well with the fragrant sushi rice. For those who like extra heat, the dish is served with a dollop of wasabi as well.

The only gripe I had was the very thin bed of rice
My chopstick barely went through an inch of rice before it struck the bottom of the bowl. At $14.50, it really irks me that barely 3 hours after the Don, I was already hunting around for a more substantial meal. So big eaters beware. It might take a toll on your wallet to get full here!

Dean & Deluca at Orchard Central is a combined cafe and grocery concept store iconic of New York culture and lifestyle. The expansive array of cooking implements and the availability of less common condiments, makes the grocery section a dream come true for casual home cooks or chef wannabes.The cafe section is spick and span as well, offering a range of western staples including salads, pastas and entrees such as meat and fish. The food however, was kind of lacking in the taste department.Nicoise Salad
Not being a raw vegetable person, I didn't really try much of the salad, so I would just withhold my opinion here.Lagsana al Forno
Very disappointing indeed. The layers of pasta sandwiching beef bolognese just turned out mushy. The beef was just too pasty to give any form of texture. US Choice Ribeye
It's a warning sign of sorts when you order Ribeye and you aren't asked for your choice of how you want your steak done. My ribeye was served nearly totally well-done, leaving the choice piece of meat dry in the mouth except for the sauce it was served with. The only redeeming factor was the charred edges which tasted nearly crispy.Broiled Atlantic Salmon
Again disappointed with what I though was a safe choice of fish. The salmon wasn't cooked as long as it should have, with much of the insides nearly totally raw, to the extent of it affecting the taste of the cooked portions as well.

At $15 per pax and a place like Dean & Deluca, this standard was certainly not what I was expecting. I'd see myself shopping at the grocer soon enough, but the cafe is one place I'd definitely steer clear of.

Having visited NEX quite a few times since its opening, I am astounded that it took me this look to stumble upon the Little Fish Shop. An innocuous little establishment decked out like the interior of a wooden ship from Pirates of the Carribean and furnishings befitting any fishing enthusiast, the Little Fish Shop brings seafood dining to a whole new level.

The menu was beyond anything I expected from this small restaurant. Maine Lobsters, Dungenese Crabs and even 7 different types of oysters. My excitement at the expansive menu was only dampened when I discovered that quite a few items on the menu were not available on the day of my visit. But the waiter was very helpful and knowledgeable, and was able to make recommendations accordingly. And the guy knows his fish. For starters I had the Boston Clam Chowder - $7.95.
Though it smelt nice and the texture was just right, the clam chowder was not as chock full of seafood as I would have liked. For nearly $8 a serving, which was no where near the portions at Soup Spoon, I would not be expecting to have to dig hard to find clams within the chowder like I did.My choice of entree was Pan-seared Ocean Trout served with Butter Herb Rice and Fries - $26.95.
There wasn't anything sensational about the side dishes and the star of the plate was rightfully the Ocean Trout, pan-seared to culinary perfection. The skin was fried to a crackling crisp while the flesh was beautifully pink and flaked nicely everytime I cut into the fillet with my knife. Gorgeous.After a good meal, dessert's always an indulgence. And we were offered something off the menu: Warm Chocolate Lava Cake - $10. We smelt the alluring fragrance of chocolate long before we even saw the cake. It was that good. The texture was nearly like that of a souffle and the liquid chocolate centre just served to complement that. Yum!

A revisit is definitely in order - especially when the waiter's parting words were of the $1 oysters and $30 lobsters!

As foretold, a second visit to Monster Curry within a month of my first. Venturing further afield this time, I did request for a level of spice above the default. I chose level 2 and imagine my amusement when there were 2 little squiggles on my curry when the plate was served, each indicating an additional spice level.

This time round, I ordered the Cheese Pork Katsu Curry. I was a tad disappointed that the cheese was not embedded in the pork loin like a proverbial Cordon Bleu, but rather cheese strips laid out upon the hot pork katsu to melt. Even so, the overall taste was good, the cheese quite effectively lending moisture to the pork katsu that tended more to the dry side and as ever, the curry was great and hit the right notes perfectly. I would however lend caution to those who are not accustomed to higher than normal spice levels. Mixing the little squiggles into your curry really brings out the heat and woe to those who aren't expecting the fiery.

I must admit, I'm late to the party. Nearly 4 years after the launch of Todai in Singapore, I finally visited the restaurant at its now famed establishment at Marina Bay Sands.

Todai is offers buffet-style dining, with an assortment of international cuisine, hot entrees, cold dishes and desserts. While I had a great time going around sampling dishes like Smoked Duck with Apple, slices of roast beef or even picking out macarons from the uniquely-shaped, pyramid macaron tower.

But what really had me going, to the extent of forgetting to take photographs, was the seafood section. Plates upon plates of delectable seafood - mussels, oysters, sushi, not forgetting fresh sashimi of Salmon and Tuna. AND Todai's signature snow crab legs! Stacks upon stacks of snow crab legs, big plump and juicy. To crack the shell and pull out an entire chunk of succulent crab meat is already an enjoyment in itself. Just to illustrate how big the crab legs were.At $80 a pop ($72 because of a 10% discount from UOB), a buffet dinner at Todai can be pretty pricey and tough for the walllet. But just to experience the seafood galore, and just indulge in all the snow crab you can eat? I'll go again!