Unless I am severely mistaken, Thanying's Pad Thai is very inferior to Spice's!

Gaetano continues to work his subtle sorcery hidden away in an obscure "print institute" along the river, overhanging plumbing-scaffolding exposed, denuded concrete floors. White asparagus and air-dried beef, squid ink linguine are exemplary. Too bad about the panfried banana-custard lor-bak-gou.

And at last, my three-month old craving for proper XLB has been sated. Not those pudgy pastegobs, like chewing a brick, those anaemic scallion pancakes. CJ bakes their chongyoubing, which makes all the difference. Crumbly and talcum-dry, not frazzled and greasy.

Finally, the disinterred gem that is Sushi Jyo, just a 10 min walk from Orchard and its sad long-queued Sakaes/Teis etc. All your manifold cravings attended to, cru ou cuit, grilled and steamed, deep-fried and hotpotted. Sukiyaki morsels brewing in sweet sauce, out of one bath and into another, this time a slick raw egg immersion. J's hamachi chin is unfortunately slightly overdone. Too many tentacular bits though: squid sashimi, squid tempura, baby octopus tempura.