Spizza Mercato is located at the newly opened Capitol Piazza. With weekday lunch and dinner sets offering good value, its no surprise that Spizza is almost always packed. We dropped by for the dinner set for 2, whereby at $29.90 (Mon-Thu only), we had a choice of 2 drinks, 2 appetizers, and 1 pizza (should be the 12 inch one). S was dying to try the parma ham, which left us with limited choice - we went for the Isabella -- tomato, mozzarella, parama ham, rucola salad and parmesan cheese.

We decided to go for 1 soup and 1 salad. Our soup was a tasty and rustic cream of wild mushroom soup. This picture doesn't do it justice, but the portion was actually quite huge (enough for 2). On the side was some lightly toasted bread.

Our salad was the classic cesare salad -- chicken breast, crispy croutons, crisp lettuce and shaved parmesan cheese! It was very filling and by the time we were done, there was hardly any space left for the pizza.

Last but not least, the pizza came with tons of rocket veges! We were shocked by the size of it as this meal could probably feed 3 (We initially wanted to dabao half the pizza back). Sher didnt really like the rocket salad. Other than that, the saltiness of the paper-thin parma ham contrasted well with the freshly baked pizza.

While Spizza is a great place to chill out on a weekday night, they also offer lunch sets ($12 for pasta or pizza) that might appeal to the office crowd looking for a special treat. We might be back to try the pasta!

Spizza Mercato

Address: Capitol Piazza, 13 Stamford Road, #B2-52

Opening Hours:11:30-14:30, 17:30-22:00, Mon-Thu; 11:00-22:00, Fri-Sun

Damage: from $18 per pax

If you thought the day you come across a chirashi don under $11 is the day pigs can fly, then you haven't been to PigsFly. The Kazoku Don ($10.90) comes complete with salmon, swordfish, tuna, octopus, scallop and ikura. Granted that the sashimi is half as thick and not as fresh as the one's you pay a premium for, honestly, at such prices, set no expectations and you won't be disappointed. The chirashi don at PigsFly will satisfy your immediate cravings without busting a hole in your (boyfriend's) wallet.

The Beef Don ($8.90) is also excellent. It may not be wagyu, but the sirloin steak slices are done medium-rare, still juicy and flavorful. Oh and we forgot to mention, each don also comes with a bowl of miso soup. Now that's some good value.

We were hunting for a good but affordable lobster roll place to celebrate S' birthday (he was in a lobster mood) and chanced upon Clifford Pier while doing our research. I must say it was a good find!

The restaurant is located within Fullerton Bay Hotel (about 15 mins walk from Raffles Place MRT) with a breath-taking view of the iconic Marina Bay waterfront in the background. The interior was impressive with its high ceilings, dangling chandeliers and towering arches, which lends a modern European touch to the restaurant.

Love those marble tables and solid wooden (heavy) chairs. You can also opt to dine outdoor - alfresco style to enjoy the fresh air and the magnificent view of the MBS. However, we preferred to enjoy our food under the cool blast of the air-con.

A section of Clifford Pier's menu is dedicated to local fare aka hawker food at a premium price -- totally not worth the price, unless you are an unsuspecting tourist. You can view their full menu over here. Nevertheless, we came here for the lobster, and we went ahead to order the Pier's Lobster Roll ($32) and the Pier Lobster Cobb ($32).

They actually serve S' favourite dessert but we decided to give it a miss. $12 for a bowl of Pulut Hitam seriously?

While we were waiting for our food to arrive, there was a complimentary serving of murukku! For those of you not acquainted with murukku, its a crunchy Indian cracker, encrusted with crispy ikan bilis and peanuts. The cumin gives the murukku it's distinct floral (pungent to others) taste and aroma. 

Pier Lobster Cobb ($32) -- this was more of a light summer salad with half a butter poached Maine lobster, chopped eggs, sweet corn, with rich avocado and crisp bacon, doused in a smokey tomato vinaigrette dressing. The lobster was firm and very fresh. It's our first time having bacon and avocado with our lobster, and surprisingly, they complement each other really well.

Can't miss the chance to take my #ootd with the iconic MBS as the backdrop ;)

Here's the fish & chips we were raving about! Should be about $12 for this portion, if memory serves us right - this was quite some time ago. That's slightly above what you can get at Char Grill Bar and on par with Astons. Admittedly, we could use an up-size on the sides but the fish did not disappoint. The batter was light and crisp and doesn't draw (unwanted aka Long John Silvers) attention away from the firmness of the fish - we suspect its dory.

The baked dory fish ($15) was also excellent and it was accompanied by some potato wedges and garden salad. Compared to the fish & chips, this was no doubt a fuller meal. The flakiness of the fish contrasted perfectly with the dreamily-oozy baked cheese. You'll be glad they held back on the sides this time round.

All in all, Hob Nob was a surprise find for us. Never did we expect a dingy place like Far East Shopping Center to yield this pleasant and affordable meal. Hob Nob certainly deserves more attention, do consider if you wish to stray off the beaten path and explore the quieter side of Orchard Road.