Zetton (Hiroo, Tokyo)

The unassuming outward appearance of Zetton betrays the coziness of its interior and the deliciousness of its offerings. Located near the corner of Komazawa-dori and Meiji-dori in Hiroo, this venue by a Nagoya-based restaurant design group (which operates some 20+ restaurants and a couple of bars in both Nagoya and Tokyo) is quite busy during lunch hours. While Nagoyan-cuisine must have had some outlets somewhere in the city, apparently Zetton seems to popularize this cuisine even more by opening this restaurant back in 2001 (the first Zetton restaurant opened in 1995 in Nagoya).

There is al-fresco dining (two tables plus a plastic-covered love seat); there is even a pole to tie your dog's leash. (I forgot to ask if dogs were welcome at the al-fresco table.) Upon entering the indoor dining, to your left is a sunken area with four tables for two. To your right, another sunken area with two tables for up to four people, above which is

Pourcel Café & Bistro (Hiroo, Tokyo)

The former Café des Pres On Gaien-nishi-dori at the mouth of the Hiroo Garden Hills complex closed at the end 2006. The café, owned by the Francophile Hiramatsu group, reopens today, April 10, 2007, under a new name (Pourcel), a sleek decor (yawn . . . ), and black-uniformed staff members (following l'atelier de Joël Robuchon?). Gone is the pseudo-feeling of sitting in a French café (the old Café des Pres employed the use of chairs normally used in Parisian cafés, the two-toned woven rattan-resembling plastic chairs).

Instead of one venue, you now find two: a café on the ground floor and a bistro in the lower level (basement level). The strip of tables and chairs that normally occupy the

buzz at Alila Jakarta (Indonesia)

Buzz is Alila Jakarta's restaurant cum coffee shop located at the lobby area. Service was good, but food took way too long to arrive. Even our drinks took some time to come out: we actually had to summon the waiters to remind him about the drinks. When the fruit juice finally came, it was lukewarm and watered down. I had to send it back to have it re-done.

The Nasi Goreng, a typical Indonesian hotels' staple and perhaps the best-known Indonesian food known to all foreigners, was not good at all. How can an

Chatterbox (Singapore)

Three people mentioned and recommended this place shortly before my trip to Singapore this month; I mean, I have been to Singapore many times, this the second for the year, but no one has ever mentioned about this restaurant. Apparently the place has been in existence since 1971, and the current residence is at the Meritus Mandarin on the famous Orchard Road in Singapore.

Chatterbox. That's the one I am talking about, and the place is apparently well known for its Hainanese Chicken Rice.

Honestly, it is much ado about nothing. For all the glories trumpeted by the aforementioned fans, the signature dish did not differ too much from anywhere

Ricos Kitchen (Ebisu | Tokyo)

The first time a friend took me here during a sunny weekend and without a reservation, we were turned away; it was chock full and there was a wait line. Because of that, I made a reservation last night to guarantee a table for a Saturday brunch, at the earliest time, 11:30, when they just opened. By chance, after a wonderfully sunny week, I awoke to a grey and rainy Saturday. I figured that even without a reservation, it would be easy to get in because the weather was crummy.

Ricos is a small restaurant, located not too far from the Ebisu Garden Place and the Tokyo Westin. When my friend told me that it was a good brunch place, I

Acquavino (Hiroo | Tokyo)

Located around the corner, near the beginning of the one-way street "Hiroo shotengai," a small area with stores ranging from a Pop & Mom to a garrish neon-lit Pachinko parlor, is an Italian restaurant called Acquavino. The restaurant, located on the ground floor of a building called East West, where its sister restaurant Acquapazza occupies the second floor.

Bloompy & Co. went to have a try at dinner. Food was delicious, but the service was way below par, at least for that evening. We ordered Caesar Salad, Bagna Cauda for the appetizers, and then fish for my companion, and pasta for me. I specifically said that the pasta would be for me, and the fish would be for my companion.

The food, although good, was not extraordinary. We started with the Caesar

Melt at the Mandarin Oriental (Singapore)

The (Mandarin) Oriental at the Marina recently reopened after a few months of renovation. I squeezed in a last day visit to the hotel and ate at the coffee shop, called Melt. The place offered practically every popular food from different ethnicities: Nasi Goreng (Indonesia); Tom Yum Khoong (Thailand); Hainanese Chicken Rice (Singapore); Hamburger (America) and Sushi/Sashimi (Japan). A group of friends from different cultures need not worry about not finding what they like in the menu. The place tries to please everyone.

I just ordered the Tom Yum Khoong (the mildest sort was still very spicy) and the Hainanese Chicken Rice, both having big servings. The Tom Yum Khoong was