Read about very good review about the gado gado and decide to go there for a try... The gado gado is good but I have taste a better one serve in another vegetarian restaurant.

The Laksa is really not Laksa.

The Mushroom Spaghetti is the only decent meal I have

Not convinced to go back probably...

LivinGreens wins hands down when it comes to the popular Gado Gado dish - think baked tempeh and tofu plus steamed veggies dressed with a piquant almond sauce rather than the usual greasy, deep fried version served with prawn crackers and swimming in spicy peanut gravy. The Baked Tahu Goreng is another must-try - it is equally light and satisfying, unlike the usual version that weighs you down and burns a hole in your tummy with chilli. :(

I've also tried the Shepherd's Pie. Didn't like it much though coz the veggies within were overly flavoured with soy sauce and coz the crust was made of potatoes - heavy. :( The Nasi Lemak and Nasi Biryani weren’t bad though. The former came with a portion of tempeh, while the latter was served with chickpea curry. Oh, the curry dishes here are really tasty – the base is made with nuts rather than coconut milk. But the soup portions are tiny and just not worth the price. The Sweet Corn and Mushroom Soup looked like a thick, yellow mush and wasn’t much better on the tastebuds.

Overall, this place is still very local and serves up more Chinese dishes than fusion / international options. As seems to be the case with other local vegetarian outlets, the dishes tend to focus on carbs rather than offering a well balanced meal with protein. A pity really, considering tofu, tempeh, beans, lentils and legumes are highly nutritious, widely available and easily incorporated into various recipes.

It appears that in Singapore, people either leave the meat out of their usual recipes when cooking for vegetarians or add mock meat. The lack of creativity, flavour and protein is disturbing. Singapore calls itself a cosmopolitan nation, a melting pot of different cultures, yet this is nowhere to be found in the cuisine. Chinese dishes still look and taste very Chinese; likewise for the Malay and Indian dishes. Hard to find more than one major influence under one roof. Very different from Bali, where you can order everything from Gado Gado to Chappatis with dhal to Baked Eggplant under the same roof. And no, I'm not talking about five-star restaurants. Just normal, neighbourhood joints tucked away in residential areas or near the jungle. :)

As for the ambience, hmmm… there’s always some type of Chinese / Buddhist-influenced music in the background, there’s a section offering “health” foods and the place is fairly quiet. Yet I don’t feel any sense of peace or serenity here… It’s more clinical, perhaps… Why do people think going vegetarian after they’ve just been through a major operation or some other illness is the key to recovery? Vegetarianism is a way of life, a way of thinking, breathing, living, working, playing. Not just a means to recover from a lifetime of bad habits. I think that is what I find disturbing about some of the local veggy joints – people who run them seem to be those who have suddenly seen the error of their ways and think that leaving meat out is the key. Vegetarianism is so much more than that. It’s about being one with nature, kindness to all living creatures, oneness of humanity, gentleness, awareness, aligning one’s mind, body and spirit, and more. It’s a conscious choice, an alternative choice, a stand for one’s beliefs rather than just something you fall back on when you’ve fallen sick. Maybe that’s why the local veggy food displays such a lack of imagination. And little wonder then that most people think vegetarian food is tasteless…

My first visit to this restaurant was met with much excitement, anticipation and a certain level of expectations; mainly due to the positive reviews earler.

As a regular diner of organic food/cuisine, and food of healthier options, this place met my expectations and a little more! I will definitely return to try their wide array of dishes.

FOOD
Ordered the Brown Rice Set (S$7) in ginger flavour which arrive with a soup, a raw salad, cooked vegetable and cooked savoury side of tofu and beancured skin.

Rice: Well cooked with just a mild ginger flavour. Although brown rice should be more al dente, I suspect that the rice any less cooked would not have gone down well with most people.

Soup: Light and delicate taste with a mix of lotus root, medlar seeds and ferox seeds.

Raw salad: Yummy! Beetroot, carrot, sprouts and greens topped with enzyme sauce, I believe.

Cooked vegetable: The cabbage was lightly cooked and tasted so sweet. Its green hue was so lovely!

Cooked savoury: Firm tofu and Beancurd skin ddish was too salty for me but would suit most I suppose. Feedback was greeted with positively.

Overall, not bad at all..

Staff were attentive and very helpful, which made dining here relaxed and a real pleasure. Chef Barbara gave me good vibes. She seems passionate about her work, sincere and has a great smile.

You can even leave your email address to join their mailing list!

Purchased a small loaf of Black Sesame & Raisin bread (S$4.80), which tasted very nice, warmed in the oven a day after. Made with whole wheat flour with an addition of sunflower seeds.


Looking forward to my next visit!

My parents are vegetarian so once a week I bring them out to dine and this was the last place that we went to. Like all restaurants some hits and misses but I have to mention that the owner's kid (i think) who was doing some service work on the day we went really sucks at it. I mean I know he is like a 13 year old kid maybe older but at least train him before letting him serve customers. Don't use the customers as guinea pig for your kid. He practically grabbed the menu from my hands after we ordered food. Was going to get a drink but I guess he didn't want me to...

The mushroom spaghetti is pretty decent by most measure but the curry noodle (recommended) was a vegetarian laksa. If they have called it laksa i would be ok but I am expecting curry when it is called "curry noodle". My mum didn't like it so I guess if it fails a Buddhist palate (where just about anything can eat is ok) it can't be too good. My Shepard's pie is a little on the dry side and the filling just don't cut it compared to a meat one. This vegetarian meat thing is really not my cup of tea and the filling is bland as far as i am concern. I know it is vegetarian food but hey can't blame me for having a preconceived notion of what Shepard's pie taste like after so many years right?

The Gado Gado or something like that (i didn't order it so can't remember) is not too bad, refreshing and a surprise to the palate. But overall it is slightly on the expensive side and for big eater like me, you will need 2 main course.

Anyway, I never understand the concept of eating organic. As far as I am concern, i won't know if they gave me organic food or not....

lc@sgp's review is spot on! Frankly, however, I'm a bun man and Livingreens has the absolute best buns in all of Singapore! Pumpkin, mountain yam and best of all black sesame are my favourites!
Having said that, I've tried most of the appetizers and main dishes and would not hesitate to "do 'em again!". All excellent! Portion sizes vary; some very filling, others a bit skimpy (a portion of soup is particularly small....more like a big cup then bowl). Try the curry noodle if you like spicy and of course healthy. It's made w/ soy milk and a touch of virgin coconut oil; loaded w/ great root veggies and plenty of noodles.