I came out of UTS & reached Shalom at 11.30am but it was still closed. I waited until 12pm & was about to leave when I heard sounds coming from within. I saw a couple. They apologized for late opening & cautioned a 30-minute wait. I ordered Spicy Beef Balls Soup with Vermicelli - It was delicious. Halfway through, 2 young girls came in, had a quick chat with the couple, then went about attending to the cash register & moving the tables & chairs out to the corridor just outside the restaurant. My thoughts - they were employees & very late for work indeed.

Approximate cost: $9

There was a long queue at my favorite restaurant - at least 20 people. I was too hungry to wait for another hour so I popped into Shalom which was 2 shops away. The inside appeared a bit dark, could be the light or decor or both. Music was playing. The lack of crowd was pleasantly quiet. I ordered Sop Buntut (Oxtail Soup). It was delicious with big meaty bones - the way I liked it. But it did not come with rice so I had to make a separate order & that was frustrating. Water was not provided so I ordered Avocado Juice which came with a generous chocolate streak - thick & refreshing. I could not have enough of it.

Approximate cost: $18

Our favorite restaurant at Kensington was closed. What a disappointment. But it was late & we were hungry so we drove further down & found Kingsford Chinese Restaurant. It was crowded & we waited for a while before being shown to a table. The setting & service were pretty similar to our favorite restaurant and we were immediately put at ease. We ordered Shangdong Chicken, Salt & Pepper Squid and Hotplate Tofu. Everything was delicious, in particular the squid. It was tasty, crispy on the outside, soft & firm on the inside. The 3 of us almost fought over the last piece of squid. Hot tea was provided. We will return.

Approximate cost: $44

I went to Hoh Won for dinner with friends - on Dutch. We parked our cars at an alley 3 shops away - easy. It was crowded but no queue. The decor & table arrangement were typical of a Chinese restaurant. No big welcome, great smile or formal greeting but service was pleasant & quick. To be fair, we ordered a dish each of our choice - Shangdong Chicken, Salt & Pepper Squid and Stir Fried Garlic Chinese Broccoli plus rice for 3 persons. My goodness, the portions were huge & rice free flow. But we finished every bit, short of scrapping the plates - It was that good especially the chicken. It was cooked the Shangdong style but extra Shangdong sauce was doused over the dish before serving, making it very appetizing. Every table had a pot of tea which was free flow but you had to gesture for refill. Strongly recommended for big eaters. Small eaters, either you bring more friends to share or containers to package leftover.

Approximate cost: $45

The Cove Cafe is my place to go for lunch on Fridays. You queue up to order & pay for your food. They give you a number stand & serve your food to you. But take your own tissue & cutlery from the counter. You can choose to sit indoor which is spacious, clean & comfortable or further out alfresco style (spacious, clean, airy, catching the sun) looking down into a football field. Sometimes, I see a kookaburra or two on the railing. I always order the lunch special - Grilled Fish with Chips & Salad - so fresh & so tasty. Strongly recommended. No water provided though. Better to bring your own as the beverages are not cheap.

Approximate cost: $9.90

I ate at Noodle King Thai Kitchen a few times. It has always been Mee Goreng with Seafood - not bad. It is self service where you order, pay & collect your food at the counter. There is a separate unguarded counter for spoon, tissue, chopsticks, cup & Chinese tea. CAUTION: I always have tummy upset - Coincidence???

Approximate cost: $13.5

I ate at JP's Noodle Bar with a friend - my treat because I owed him big time. We ordered Seafood Laksa - him vermicelli (thin sticks) & me flat rice noodles. Both of us agreed that our respective dinner was YUMMY. We also drank bottled Orange Juice which tasted real & refreshing. But I feel the prices could be lower.

Approximate cost: $38

I was at Dairy Produce Hall in Queen Victoria Market when I came across a pretty shop selling coffee. As far as I could see, there was no table & chair for drink in. I took away a Piccolo - a tiny cup of intense coffee with subtle tastes. But nothing to shout about.

Approximate cost: $4.00

At 11.30am on a weekday, CJ Lunchbar was crowded but no queue. I had no reservation but on knowing it was my first visit, staff led me to one of two empty tables. I ordered their lunch special - Cheesy Chicken Bulgogi Don (with rice). Portion - good for one person. Taste - not bad. But nothing to shout about.

Approximate cost: $9.90

The tiny space was crammed with tables & stools. A long table stacked against the window but no takers. I ordered Nasi Goreng Komplit (Fried Rice + 2 Chicken Satay). There were many customers before me so I waited patiently. When the last customer was served, I sighed with great relief, "Now it's my turn." Ten minutes later, a couple came in, placed their order & sat behind me. Guess what? Twenty minutes later, the staff served them two plates of Nasi Goreng (Fried Rice with Chicken Maryland)!!! Can you believe it??? I looked back & forth from the staff to the couple. The staff knew instinctly something was amiss & checked the order chits again at the open kitchen. My food finally arrived. It tasted alright but my appetite was gone. Plus I had to help myself to cold water from the fridge & cup/spoon/fork from the counter. This was first visit and would also be my last. Goodbye, Dapur Indo Indonesian Kitchen.

Approximate cost: $13