It was Julia's birthday and we decided to celebrate it with a small dinner in Anna Maya, since she is vegetarian. I've been keen to try Anna Maya out after she told me she loved it - they are (obviously) vegetarian, but also do a lot of vegan, and also macrobiotic food. To be frank, except for another Aussie girl friend's birthday last year (which we celebrated in a vegetarian restaurant in Singapore), I've never been to a vegetarian place before. In fact, I don't even eat vegetarian meals. So it was with great novelty to me to go to Anna Maya. It's a little cozy cafe that looks like a living room, with wood antique furniture, lamps, and just a few tables squeezed in. It's very chill, and has a definite bohemian, laid back vibe. Their food is all about whole foods, and all unprocessed, with the daily menu simply scribbled on a sheet of brown paper.

Shanghai Tang is a brand with stores in various locations around the world. They sell beautiful silk and cashmere clothing, supple leather bags, and artistic enamel jewellery. All for an exorbitant price because it's catered for the foreign market (though it's made for about 1/50th the price here in China). I know their prices are absurd, but I still love their products and especially the store's interior - all luxe in bold fuschias, lime greens and bright blues, matched with black. Recently, they opened their new restaurant in Shanghai and we finally made a trip there on a double-date with some friends. Located on the 2nd floor and accessed by elevator, you step out and you're immediately taken into a world of luxe. Black glossy walls with back-lit colourful features, glass windows shrouded with black and lime green curtains, lacquered black table and chairs and a stunning explosion of colourful tableware. The colours are intense and look fantastic against the black. It's all very nouveau-Chinese and you either think its tacky, or appreciate it. I love it!

Helmed by Brian Tan, a Malaysian, the upscale HoF is a sweet tooth paradise. I like to call it a "dessert bar", because it's a fascinating blend of sweet treats, cocktails and wines. Dark and chic, HoF gets really packed in the evenings, especially after dinner when people roll in for desserts and a cocktail or ten. I've had a love affair with HoF ever since my first bite of their luscious orange chocolate cake with caramel and sea salt - I think this was mid-year when they first opened. A dense, moist chocolate cake ("it's kinda like a brownie, no?" said my girl friend) with a thick drape of caramel on top, and interestingly, sprinkled with a few shavings of fresh sea salt. "To off-set the sweetness and it goes with the caramel", Brian says as he sprinkles it on with a flair. This particular dessert is the best cake I've had in Shanghai. Rich yet fluffy, I simply cannot resist this gem!

Two cafes, both conveniently located in the French Concession, both promising nirvana for the Shanghai chocoholic looking for something a bit more nuanced than Kedi Dove bars.  But which one follows through?Whisk: I know Death by Chocolate sounds hackneyed, but I still think Whisk should rename their Chocolate Therapy, because I pretty much keeled over halfway through.  It's the frosting that does it - imagine super-rich semi-mousse-textured candy bars sandwiched between layers of cake.  I've heard good things about the other desserts as well (if orgasmic sighs=good).  That said, this is dessert by blunt instrument: nothing wrong with the ingredients, but nothing particularly inspired in how they're combined.  Brownie, chocolate cake, tiramisu....you've had all this before.  Which is not to say you won't have it again.

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Tucked away in the myriad of shops and cafes in Taikang Lu is Kommune. I love this place. Not because it's an Aussie joint and I'm biased, but because I love how it transforms from a cosy casual cafe by day... to a laid back pub by night. How very Australian! I'm a big fan of Taikang Lu itself - I like the cobblestone paths, the narrow alleyways, and the crazy maze that you can spend ages pottering around in, poking around at all the little shops and cafes. Kommune is fairly reasonably priced considering it's Western food, and the staff are friendly and efficient.

The cafe is small, and crammed with sofas and little rickety wooden benches you perch your food on. Their famous drink is, by far, their large coffee, which comes in a HUMONGOUS cup, basically a large bowl. It's a "triple size" coffee, and I could basically stick my whole head into the empty cup. Fabulous! We had the mocha and it was rich, creamy, and really hit the spot... considering it was sub-zero temperatures outside.